Morales-Rodriguez Gets Two Life Terms In Prison For The Ramirez-Cruz Homicides

Annette Morales-Rodriguez

Morales-Rodriguez will spend the rest of her life in prison for killing a pregnant mother to keep her unborn child.

By H. Nelson Goodson

December 13, 2012

Milwaukee, WI - On Thursday, Annette Morales-Rodriguez, 34, was sentenced to two life terms in prison without parole for a double brutal homicide that involved a pregnant woman and her own unborn child. Morales-Rodriguez was found guilty in September for two felony counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths of Maritza Ramirez-Cruz, 23, and her unborn child in 2011. 

On Oct. 6, 2011, Morales-Rodriguez met Ramirez-Cruz while she was walking and offered her a ride. She lured Ramirez-Cruz to her house in Milwaukee's southside. Once inside her residence, Morales-Rodriguez beat Ramirez-Cruz with a baseball bat until she died and then used an exacto knife to extract Cruz' unborn child. The child also died when extracted from Ramirez-Cruz.

Morales-Rodriguez then called police that her child was born dead. She was taken to the hospital, but refused treatment and was released. Police then returned Morales-Rodriguez to the hospital for a checkup to make sure she was alright. At the hospital, medical staff discovered she wasn't pregnant and didn't give birth at the time. 

Police returned to Morales-Rodriguez home where they discovered Ramirez-Cruz' body in the basement.

Morales-Rodriguez wanted a baby boy to keep her boyfriend, but she couldn't have one. Her boyfriend has since moved to Chicago and broke all ties with Morales-Rodriguez.

Morales-Rodriguez and Ramirez-Cruz each have three other children of their own. Ramirez-Cruz did not know Morales-Rodriguez, according to the criminal complaint.

Ramirez-Cruz and her baby were buried in Puerto Rico.