The suspected pro-Palestine gunman who murdered two young Israeli diplomats in Washington DC lived with a ‘girlfriend’ at his modest apartment in Chicago, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.
Elias Rodriguez, 31, moved in with a woman whose last name is believed to be Oliver roughly two years ago, 71-year-old neighbor John Fry said.
But it appears she recently mysteriously vanished.
‘There was a young woman, although I haven’t seen her for a couple of weeks now. I can’t say exactly when she left,’ Fry added.
‘I’m guessing she was in her late 20s, about 5ft 3ins tall, dark hair. Nothing special about her build. Difficult to really describe her much after that.
‘I don’t know why she apparently hasn’t been around.’
He would not speculate that the couple could have fallen out before the murderous assault outside the Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night – where Rodriguez shouted ‘Free Palestine’ after the killing spree.
‘They were a really quiet couple. Although in these apartment buildings people only tend to just say hi to each other, not much more than that,’ said Fry. ‘I didn’t exchange that many words with her.
Two staff members from the Israeli embassy were shot dead outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC on Wednesday night by Elias Rodriguez, 31, who shouted ‘Free Palestine’ during his arrest
The gunman’s Chicago neighbor John Fry, 71, said Rodriguez lived at the apartment with a ‘girlfriend’ and that he hasn’t seen her for weeks
On the dark wood front door is a cardboard graphic of what appears to be a Hello Kitty Chinese New Year decal, with a male and a female version of the Sanrio mascot, linked together with Chinese characters, as revealed in exclusive DailyMail.com photos
Fry said he also had not seen Rodriguez – who allegedly unleashed 21 rounds from his H&K pistol to kill soon-to-be engaged Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim – for days either.
A small pair of women’s size black CAT sneakers remained outside the door of the couple’s second floor apartment today despite the FBI raid on the premises 24 hours earlier.
There were also a pair of women’s size black CAT sneakers outside the door, despite the FBI raiding the apartment 24 hours earlier
On the dark wood front door is a cardboard graphic of what appears to be a Hello Kitty Chinese New Year decal, with a male and a female version of the Sanrio mascot, linked together with Chinese characters, as revealed in exclusive DailyMail.com photos.
The apartment building is in the mixed Albany Park area of the city, where support is strong for Palestine following the October 7 Hamas atrocities and Israel’s military response in Gaza.
Fry said he too supported the Palestinian cause but added: ‘What he did was so wrong. And if I’d had any idea that he would do such a thing I believe I could have talked him out of it.
‘If he wanted to support Palestine, this is not the way to do it. What’s killing two people doing to do? It was so stupid, so counterproductive.
‘There’s a very strong Palestine support network in this neighborhood. And for him to do what he did, he did it because he had lost hope. I believe he just lost hope over the death and destruction. It pushed him over the edge.’
Fry also revealed the FBI did not seem particularly interested in the girlfriend. ‘I told them about her, but they didn’t appear to pick up on it,’ he said.
The mailbox belonging to gunman Rodriguez and his ‘girlfriend’, whose last name is believed to be Oliver
Soon-to-be engaged Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrime were the two individuals shot dead on Wednesday night
‘The comment they made to me was that the people they had talked to all seemed to think he was a nice guy. And that was the way he came across to me. He was quiet, he was friendly.’
Referring to a sign in Rodriguez’s window saying Justice for Wadea, with a picture of murdered six-year-old Palestinian American Wadea al-Fayoume,’ Fry said: ‘That’s the kind of sign a sensitive person would put up.
Fry said he had no idea Rodriguez had been a gun owner for five years, but added: ‘This is Chicago. When I moved here a cop friend of mine said, John, get a gun. And that was when the city was trying to get them off the streets.’
It was also revealed today that the father of the accused gunman was a special guest of a Democratic congressman for President Donald Trump‘s March address to Congress.
‘Eric Rodriguez was our guest during the President’s Joint Speech to Congress, but we don’t know his family,’ a spokesperson for Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García (D-Ill.) confirmed to the New York Post.
At the time, García’s office celebrated Rodriguez as an ‘outspoken advocate against attacks on veterans’ services and the rights of unionized federal employees.’
Eric Rodriguez identified himself as a disabled Iraq War veteran and was involved in anti-Trump protests of cuts to the federal government.
‘Veterans, we’re under attack,’ he said tearfully at an event with congressional Democrats.
Disabled Iraq War Veteran Eric Rodriguez was identified as the father of shooter Elias
Shooting suspect Elias Rodriguez, 31, is seated in U.S. District Court, where he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting near the Capital Jewish Museum
‘They’re slashing staff, crushing unions and selling out the VA, for what?’ he said. ‘So billionaires can make more money while veterans sit on wait lists, or worse, they’ll get no treatment.’
Congressman Garcia hailed Rodriguez, the father of the shooter, as a hero.
‘Eric represents the very best of our community — someone who has served his country, continues to serve his fellow veterans and fights every day to protect the dignity of working people,’ the congressman said in a statement at the time.
He also posted video of Rodriguez’s speech on Instagram.
After the shooting, Rep. Garcia condemned the shooting as a ‘horrible senseless act of antisemitism.’
‘My heart is with the victims, and everyone impacted by the attack. We mourn the lives lost and reject the idea that justice can be won through violence,’ he wrote on social media.
Elias Rodriguez graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago and was increasingly involved in left-wing activism. He also donated $500 Joe Biden’s presidential campaign in 2020.
His mother Elvira Rodriguez declined to comment to Daily Mail.
‘I have no comment, thank you,’ she said.
Rodriguez, 30, worked as a far-left activist who worked as an ‘oral history researcher’ on African American communities at educational non-profit TheHistoryMakers, participated in anti-capitalist demonstrations, and has been a member of the party for ‘socialism and liberation.’
President Trump issued a statement late Wednesday night condemning ‘hatred and radicalism’ which led to the vicious attack.
‘These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!’ he wrote on social media.
‘Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!’