PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia man will go to trial for the murder of a 13-year-old girl, who was found shot dead inside a Frankford apartment.
Foster teen Alezuana “Lele” Carter was reported missing for about six months until she was identified as the victim found fatally shot in the face inside an apartment on Overington Street, near Penn Street, on April 18.
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Authorities say her death was at the hands of 25-year-old Luis Rodriguez. Prosecutors call it a revenge killing, saying Rodriguez did it to get back at 28-year-old Maurice Madallion, who Alezuana was living with.
Earlier that same day at Maclamore Park on Pratt Street, Rodriguez and Madallion were involved in a shootout, as well as another man, 27-year-old Matthew Robinson-Bass.
Robinson-Bass is charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy for that shooting. No one was injured.
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At the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, Robinson-Bass’ ex-girlfriend tearfully testified that on the evening of April 18, she drove Rodriguez to Overington Street and waited nearby.
Prosecutors played surveillance video. Two gunshots are heard, then seconds later, a man runs down the street. The young woman identified that man as Rodriguez.
She said he ran back to the car, where Rodriguez bragged about the shooting. She said he laughed, “I shot her, I shot her in the neck. … I shot some lady.”
During the tense testimony, defense attorneys tried to poke holes in the witness’ story, questioning her memory, timeline and description of clothing.
She said she didn’t want to identify Rodriguez, but the day before she was to speak with detectives, she said her ex beat her up and poured kerosene all over her. After that, she decided to “tell the truth.”
In the end, the judge held Rodriguez for trial on murder charges. Madallion is in federal custody for a different case.
Rodriguez and Robinson-Bass will be arraigned later this month.
Editor’s update, March 3, 2025:
Rodriguez was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree murder and a gun charge.