(CBS 8) - Yvonne Rodriguez believes her sister's spirit is still around, even though 20 year old Denise Rodriguez's life was allegedly cut short by 42 year old Jeffrey Steven McCreary.
The Escondido man accused of killing a 20-year old mother remains behind bars Monday. He is being held without bail.
McCreary is facing a murder charge in the shooting death of Denise Rodriquez - a mother of an 11 month old girl. Rodriguez's body was found Wednesday off Lawrence Welk Court - a spot where a loving memorial featuring some of her favorite things now stands.
According to North County court records, Jeffrey McCreary was arrested in 1989 for armed robbery and housed at the California Youth Authority for three years.
In a letter to the judge, his dad described how he was getting beat up while in custody.
In 1992, he was convicted of possessing meth. Two years later for possession of stolen property and use of a handgun.
In 2005, for meth possession again and was sentenced to probation and a drug-treatment program.
In 2009, he was cited for possession of a switchblade and remained on probation.
McCreary is being held in a Vista jail on a count of taking Denise Rodriguez's life.
News 8's Phil Blauer has more information on this tragic story in this video report.
This is a story update. The previous story is below.
ESCONDIDO (CNS) - An Escondido man was behind bars Sunday in the shooting death of a 20-year-old woman whose body was found dumped Wednesday off a rural road in the Lawrence Welk Community.
Morayma Denise Rodriguez, the mother of an 11-month-old girl, told her family Tuesday night that she was going out with friends to a casino but never came home, her friend, Yvonne Rodriguez, 16, told The Union-Tribune.
"When I woke up the next morning to go to school, I didn't see her, and I was worried," Yvonne told the newspaper. "That wasn't like her, she would either text or call."
Jeffrey Steven McCreary, 42, arrested in a car chase about 7:45 a.m. Saturday, was booked at the Vista Jail on suspicion of murder, sheriff's Lt. Larry Nesbit said Saturday.
A sheriff's SWAT team chased McCreary on North Broadway until McCreary pulled over, jumped out and ran. He was caught within moments.
It was unclear what a search of his home might have turned up. Rodriguez's family released a statement Saturday:
"Although we are still devastated, it is a relief to know the person responsible has been arrested. We also want to thank the individual who stopped to help Denise on Wednesday. Thanks to your actions she was found quickly, and a monster was taken off the streets before he caused more harm."
Rogelio Ponce of Oceanside, the father of Rodriguez's daughter, told The U-T he and Denise Rodriguez had a troubled relationship. Last year. he got a restraining order against her/
"She loved her daughter very much," Ponce said.
Her body was found by a passer-by about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, face-down on the side of Lawrence Welk Court.
McCreary, on his Facebook page, said he had been a department manager at an Escondido Walmart, attended the Southern California Firefighters Academy and Palomar College, and was in the Escondido High School class of 1987.
Nesbit declined to talk about a motive or how the two might have known one another.
"The case is ongoing. It's being presented to the (District Attorney) next week," Nesbit said.
