Olympic Boxer Accused Of Killing Pregnant Lover

A Puerto Rican boxer who fought in London’s 2012 Olympics has been charged with abducting and killing his pregnant lover.

Félix Verdejo is accused of attacking Keishla Rodríguez and then throwing her body off a bridge near San Juan, the capital of the US island territory.

He turned himself in to police on Sunday after refusing to co-operate with investigators, police say.

The death has sparked protests against the murder of women in Puerto Rico.

In January, the island declared a state of emergency over violence against women. Puerto Rico has at least one femicide per week, according to local rights groups, with at least 60 such crimes last year.

The 27-year-old married lightweight boxer is facing charges of kidnapping and carjacking resulting in the death and intentional killing of an unborn child.

According to a federal complaint, Mr Verdejo punched his lover in the face before tying her up and throwing her off a bridge.

People close the Teodoro Moscoso bridge during a protest against the death of Keishla Rodriguez, who was found lifeless in a lagoon near San Juan on 01 May, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 02 May 2021

He also allegedly shot at her in the water with a pistol while standing atop the bridge.

An unnamed witness is also alleged to have helped Mr Verdejo.

The victim’s mother told local media that her daughter was carrying Mr Verdejo’s child and that he had wanted her not to have the baby for the sake of his family and career.

“I told her ‘be careful’ because he had threatened her not to have the baby, that he had his family, that he is a boxer, that he is a public figure,” Keila Ortiz Rivera told El Nuevo Día newspaper, adding that she last spoke to her daughter on Thursday.