FORT WORTH — A former TCU student who was accused of felony murder for giving a fatal injection of heroin to the grandson of billionaire T. Boone Pickens was sentenced Monday to 10 years deferred adjudication probation in a deal reached with prosecutors.
Brennan Trainor Rodriguez, 23, pleaded guilty a charge of delivery of a controlled substance that resulted in Ty Pickens' death, defense attorney Greg Westfall confirmed.
As part of his probation, Rodriguez will be required to serve four months in jail.
Pickens' family said in a statement that they are grateful prosecutors were able to secure some justice for their son without subjecting the family to "further emotional trauma" that a trial would have brought. They insist that Pickens had not previously used heroin.
"The guilty plea today reinforces what we have known all along — our son was not a heroin addict," the statement reads." "He was victimized by Brennan Rodriguez."
Pickens' parents allege Rodriguez injected their son in order to steal his ATM card and the security code.
Comerica Bank records included in the case file shows Rodriguez on camera at a Sundance Square ATM on Jan. 29, 2013, apparently withdrawing $60 from Pickens' account.
"Had the case gone to trial, we would have introduced evidence that Brennan Rodriguez used the victim's ATM card at around midnight on the night of the offense at a bank in downtown Fort Worth and that the money was used to purchase heroin," Prosecutor Kevin Rousseau confirmed.
"This plea was all around the best resolution for the case," Westfall said. "This case is a tragedy. It's one of those where everybody has suffered a loss. To not to have to go through a trial is great in a case like this just because trials can be so ugly."
Rodriguez was placed into custody immediately, said Melody McDonald, a spokeswoman with the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office.
"This agreement was reached after considering all the facts and consulting with the family," prosecutor Kevin Rousseau said in a prepared statement. "No outcome can give them back their son but hopefully with this plea, they can at least begin to heal."
Rodriguez's cousin had told investigators that Rodriguez and Pickens had used heroin and Xanax earlier in the day on Jan. 28, 2013, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
He said Pickens returned to Rodriguez's apartment late that night, upset that he and an ex-girlfriend were not getting back together. He asked Rodriguez to give him "just enough" heroin to make him doze off, the affidavit states.
Rodriguez then loaded a syringe and injected heroin into Pickens' arm, the affidavit states.
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