Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Missing Sex Offender Surrenders on Live TV to KTLA Reporter
Finally, some actual breaking news! One of a pair of missing sex offenders who had removed his GPS monitoring ankle bracelet turned himself in on live television earlier this morning.
46-year-old Valentino Rodriguez had been released from custody October 4th, and outfitted with the monitor. However, he fell off the grid in South L.A. on Monday evening, and the parolee "said he was suicidal and disoriented and had cut off his monitoring ankle bracelet with scissors, after which he had wandered the streets for three days," notes LA Now of the bizarre episode.
During a live broadcast from East L.A., KTLA's Eric Spillman encountered Rodriguez, who said he wanted "to do the appropriate thing," and "man up about it," and turn himself over, following the call of the Lord and heeding a wish not to "go to Hell." "We're going to hang out here and see what happens," said Spillman. Soon after, the authorities arrived to take Rodriguez into custody.