Mother of slain teen mom Angelica Santos, 17, is reunited with orphaned ... trends now
The mother of the teen mom killed by her ex-cop lover has been reunited with her orphaned grandson days after the boy's kidnap, DailyMail.com can reveal.
One-year-old Roman Huizar is now in the custody of grandmother Tiffany Penaloza, 34, in Yakima, Washington, after former police officer Elias Huizar, 39, fatally shot his 17-year-old girlfriend and his ex-wife before fleeing the state with the boy on Monday.
The disgraced cop-turned-fugitive sparked a miles-long police chase into Portland, Oregon, that ended with him turning his gun on himself on Tuesday.
The young boy, whom Huizar had fathered with Angelica when she only 15, was found safe and was handed over to his maternal grandmother on Wednesday.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com on the day of Roman was handed over by Child Protective Services, Penaloza said: 'This is all a bad dream. I kept wondering if this nightmare is going to end.
'At least today, my tears will be happy tears when I see my grandson.'
Penaloza, who lives near downtown Yakima, Washington, spoke out for the first time since her daughter's senseless murder and revealed she had only learned of Huizar's true identity in February and wasn't aware he was still seeing her daughter.
One-year-old Roman Huizar is seen in exclusive DailyMail.com photos after being reunited with maternal grandmother Tiffany Penaloza, 34, in Yakima, Washington, on Wednesday
The little boy was snatched by his father, who fled the state after fatally shooting his 17-year-old girlfriend and Roman's mother, Angelica Santos
Elias Huizar, 39, was labeled 'armed and dangerous' after police connected him to the murder of his ex-wife and girlfriend
She also expressed her relief that Huizar's death means she won't have to endure an agonizing murder trial.
'I'm glad he's dead. The one good thing he did was not harm Roman.
'But that's the only good thing I can say about him.
'Because he's dead we don't have to worry about a trial. The state I'm in now I don't think I could have handled it,' she added.
Huizar went on the run after killing his paraeducator ex-wife Amber Rodriguez in front of their nine-year-old son at William Wiley Elementary school in West Richland on Monday afternoon during dismissal.
Police then found a second victim, Angelica, dead in Huizar's home, located on the same block as the school.
He went on the lam as prosecutors charged with first-degree murder as well as an aggravated circumstance allegation of domestic violence and firearm enhancement.
Police across Washington and Oregon, as well as federal law enforcement, had begun a manhunt that ended around 3pm local time Monday, when cops embarked on a car chase.
Eventually, Huizar crashed into a vehicle, spun into the median of the I-5 highway in Oregon and stopped his 2009 Toyota Corolla.
Before police could establish contact, he shot himself in the head and was declared dead at the scene, Oregon State Trooper Kyle Kennedy confirmed Tuesday night.
According to documents filed by his ex-wife Amber Rodriguez in court earlier this year, Huizar met Angelica while he was working as a school resource officer in Yakima.
Penaloza, who lives near downtown Yakima, spoke out for the first time since her daughter's senseless murder and revealed she had only learned of Huizar's true identity in February and wasn't aware he was still seeing Angelica
Roman, whom Huizar had fathered with the girl when she only 15, was found safe after the car chase and was handed over to his maternal grandmother on Wednesday
'My family literally lives on this street. My grandmother lives with us, my brother, and his family live across the street, Tiffany Penaloza said. One of Roman's relatives is his 14-year-old uncle Damien
She was only 11 when they met, and 15 when he impregnated her, Rodriguez wrote in seeking a protection order against him.
The former school cop had been due in court on Monday to face child rape charges; for his sexual relationship with his minor girlfriend and for sexually assaulting her 16-year-old friend.
On Wednesday, the bereaved mother explained that she didn't know the true nature of Huizar's relationship with her daughter until he was accused of raping Angelica's friend, who is also a relative by marriage, in February.
Up until then, Penazola said she had known Huizar as 'Leo' and had believed he was 18 years old after Angelica introduced him to her when Roman was born.
'Before that night, Angelica told us 'Leo' was the name of Roman's father. She said that he was 18 years old.'
Penaloza said she had only met Huizar twice in her life, the first time was on April 8, 2023, the night Roman was born.
'It was during the tail end of Covid and everyone had to wear a mask in the hospital. Huizar came into see Angelica after she gave birth to Roman.
'He came in wearing a big mask that covered most of his face, he introduced himself as 'Leo' and told us he was 18 years old. We couldn't see his entire face.
'I bought his story. At the time I was more interested in my daughter and newborn grandson.'
'We questioned Angelica extensively about Roman's father, but Angelica kept up with the lie. Looking back at it we should have known something was up.'
Legal filings revealed Huizar was arrested on February 3 after his 17-year-old girlfriend reported him for the attack on her 16-year-old friend who was staying overnight at their home in West Richland, Washington
