The Investigation Discovery show American Monster looks at real crimes that were done by people who seem normal at first glance but have dark secrets. We learn more about Rogelio Pablo Morales and his sad relationship with Margarita Sanchez Lemus in Season 12, Episode 9, which is called “Something About Him.” What started out as a quick romance turned into a nightmare of abuse that ended with a shocking murder.
It starts out well but ends badly.
Born in 1987 in Hubbard, ‘Nebraska’, Rogelio Pablo Morales grew up in a loving home with five other children. He joined the U.S. Marines when he was 19. This seemed like a good way to spend his time. He met Margarita Sanchez Lemus on the internet in 2011.
Margarita “Beba” Lemus was born on June 11, 1993, in San Luis Obispo, California, she was the daughter of Sergio Lemus and Margarita Sanchez. Beba grew up with a strong sense of community and determination, graduating from South Sioux City Senior High School in 2011. She built a career in hospitality, working as a host at the Sioux City Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
They hit it off right away, and three months after starting dating—they got married. Even so, Margarita’s family was worried about how quickly their relationship was growing. Especially her sister Monica Terriquez (Juan) and their mother Margarita Sanchez Reyes.
Their happiness didn’t last long. Rogelio was often away for work, so they had to be in a long-distance relationship. This started to wear them down. The couple’s once-loving marriage began to fall apart, and fights happened all the time. When Margarita got pregnant in December 2012 and moved in with Rogelio, things got worse. But as soon as Rogelio’s abusive behavior became clear, her hopes for a stable family life went away.
A CYCLE OF ABUSE
There was a short time of peace in their home after the birth of their son Christian. But it wasn’t long before Rogelio’s violent side came back. He hit Margarita, which led to a third-degree assault charge with a domestic component. Despite this, she allowed him access to their son, demonstrating her hope that he would change. Unfortunately, things only worsened.
On April 19, 2015, an altercation between the couple turned deadly. Rogelio’s sister called 911, reporting that her brother and sister-in-law had fought, leaving Margarita unconscious in a car. r brother and sister-in-law had a fight and left Margarita unconscious in the car. She was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital right away but they said she was dead when they got there. At the same time, Rogelio was sitting on the porch and crying as the police came up to him.
THE INVESTIGATION AND TRIAL
At the Sioux City Police Department, Detective Nick Thompson talked to Rogelio. Rogelio admitted to picking Margarita up from work that night and stopping for food at Sonic. However, an argument ensued, and he claimed he blacked out before strangling her. Further investigation revealed that he had discovered Margarita was seeing someone else and planning to divorce him. Because he had been abused in the past and was jealous—he lost it and became violent. An autopsy showed that Margarita had been strangled to death, and the police said the murder was planned ahead of time.
In 2017, the case went to court. Prosecutors painted a picture of a controlling and scary husband who abused and manipulated his wife. Monica, Margarita’s sister, testified about the abuse and said that Margarita had been hurt for years. A letter written by Rogelio and delivered by hand was an important piece of evidence. In it, he admitted his mistakes but tried to downplay his responsibility.
THE DEFENSE’S ARGUMENT AND SENTENCING
Rogelio’s lawyers said that his time in the military gave him Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which they said made him more likely to act violently. But Monica didn’t believe this because she said Rogelio had been through much worse things in the military without acting violently. She thought that he wasn’t acting out because he had PTSD, but because he was jealous and wanted to be in charge.
Rogelio was found guilty of second-degree murder on July 21, 2017. The prosecution wanted a first-degree conviction but the jury could not agree on one thing: the crime was planned ahead of time. Rogelio was given a 50-year prison sentence and must serve at least 70% of it before he can see his parole officer. In other words—he will stay locked up until at least 2050.
WHERE IS ROGELIO PABLO MORALES NOW?
Rogelio was sent to the ‘Anamosa State Penitentiary’ in Jones County, Iowa, which is a maximum-security prison—after he was found guilty. He tried to appeal his sentence in 2018 by saying that some of the things he said to the police shouldn’t have been used as evidence. The court, however, found against him because he had knowingly given up his rights while being questioned.
As of today, Rogelio is still in jail serving his long sentence for killing Margarita Sanchez. His actions have left a hole in her family’s lives that will never go away. Their young son will grow up without his mother. Margarita’s family and friends are still speaking out against domestic violence, making sure that her sad story serves as a warning to others.
The pain of losing Margarita is still unbearable for her family. Monica Terriquez, her sister, has been very open about how hard her loss has made her feel. She once said, “April 19th, 2015, a day I will never forget, made April a long month.” The terrible death of Margarita is a stark reminder of how dangerous domestic violence is and how important it is to spot early warning signs.
In the American Monster episode “Something About Him,” we learn more about this terrible case and see how Rogelio Morales’ charming exterior concealed a dangerous and controlling personality. Even though he was found guilty, the hurt he caused in Margarita’s family and friends will never go away.
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