Man charged with murder, rape in death of girlfriend

A man who called 911 to report he had killed his girlfriend in their Kensington home has been charged with murder and sexually abusing the woman after she was dead, police said Tuesday.

Police said Juan A. Camacho, 25, strangled Veronica Rodriguez, 27, in the house on the 3200 block of Rorer Street and called 911 about 2:15 a.m. Monday to report what he had done.

Camacho, who indicated he was suicidal in his call to 911, fled in a car but he remained in contact with police dispatchers, allowing investigators to track him.

Officers, also armed with a description of the vehicle, spotted it in Port Richmond and arrested Camacho.

After questioning at homicide, Camacho was charged with murder, rape, sexual assault and abuse of a corpse.

Four of the victim' children, ranging in age from 5 to 12, were in the house at the time of the slaying and police were working to place them with relatives.

Rodriguez was originally from Florida and her mother, Maribel Guzman, told WBBH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers, that her daughter had just broken up with Camacho.

Guzman said that after the slaying, "He text me and said 'I'm sorry I killed your daughter.'"

- Joseph A. Gambardello