Oscar Rodriguez, a former Riverside County sheriff’s deputy, was sentenced on Sept. 23, 2025 to one year in jail and 10 years of felony probation for the 2014 killing of 39-year-old Luis Carlos Morin in Coachella. The sentence followed a June conviction by an Indio jury that found Rodriguez, 44, guilty of voluntary manslaughter and a gun use enhancement. He was acquitted of the more serious charge of first-degree murder. Despite prosecutors pushing for a prison term, Superior Court Judge Otis Sterling imposed a 10-year prison sentence but suspended it, allowing Rodriguez to serve just 365 days in county jail.
The incident stemmed from a “love triangle” involving Rodriguez, Morin and Diana Perez, the mother of Morin’s two children. Rodriguez met Perez in late 2013 when responding to her 911 calls about Morin, who she claimed had a criminal past and outstanding warrants. Their relationship quickly became intimate, with credit card records showing regular motel stays together throughout 2013.
Prosecutors argued that Rodriguez allowed his emotional involvement with Perez to cloud his judgment and that he engaged in reckless, self-initiated behavior unbefitting a law enforcement officer. According to Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Garcia, Rodriguez used “cowboy tactics,” bypassing proper protocol to carry out what amounted to a personal vendetta against Morin.
On Jan. 27, 2014, Rodriguez learned that Morin would be returning to his mother’s home in Coachella after attending a family birthday party. Without informing his superiors, Rodriguez drove to the neighborhood in a patrol vehicle, parked out of sight and began surveillance on the home. Around 9:40 p.m., Morin and his mother arrived. As Morin exited the vehicle to assist in parking, Rodriguez approached from behind.
Prosecutors said that when Morin attempted to flee, Rodriguez took him down by sweeping his legs. Both fell to the ground, and Rodriguez landed on his back. A witness, Maria Gomez, reportedly shouted, “Don’t do it!” before Rodriguez drew his weapon and shot Morin in the chest, killing him. Rodriguez claimed he feared for his life and believed Morin was reaching for a weapon, though no weapon was found on the victim.
The defense emphasized Rodriguez’s law enforcement experience and described Morin as a dangerous individual with a criminal record who had previously threatened Perez and Rodriguez. Months before the shooting, Morin allegedly sent Perez a threatening message referencing Rodriguez: “Cop lover … Tell him to bring his A-game, because no matter what he does, he’s going to lose.”
Despite the jury’s decision to convict Rodriguez on lesser charges, the case sparked significant backlash. Morin’s family sued Riverside County and the sheriff’s department, eventually receiving a $7 million wrongful death settlement.
Diana Perez was also indicted in connection with the case, charged as an accessory to a felony. However, the charge against her was dismissed in April, more than a decade after the initial incident.
The sentencing concludes a years-long legal saga that began with the shooting in 2014 and included a 2017 grand jury indictment. Rodriguez now faces a decade of formal probation following his brief jail term.
