A man from Nebraska contacted law enforcement to inform them that he had shot and killed his roommate, whom he alleged was abusing his adult daughter and supplying her with drugs.
Rodolfo Cateura Nogueras, 40, has entered a no-contest plea in Colfax County District Court regarding charges of second-degree murder related to the death of Ariel Varella Herrera, 45, as well as second-degree assault stemming from the nonfatal shooting of a neighbor, according to court documents.
A detailed affidavit reveals the circumstances surrounding a case that emerged on April 7 at 11:29 p.m. following a call to Colfax County dispatch.
A Spanish-speaking caller, identified as Cateura Nogueras, reported that he lives with his 20-year-old daughter and a roommate, who is allegedly providing drugs to his daughter and abusing her, according to the affidavit.
A report was made to the dispatcher regarding the location of the shooting, which occurred at a storage facility in Schuyler, approximately 70 miles west of Omaha. He expressed a desire to have a face-to-face conversation with an officer at a nearby truck stop, yet he did not connect with an officer that evening.
Authorities discovered blood on the floor and a .22 shell casing near unit #23 at the storage facility. A sergeant discovered blood along with a spent .22 caliber shell casing inside. Officials discovered the deceased individual concealed beneath dark plastic coverings in the rear of the facility.
Footage from a nearby establishment captured several individuals arriving in Varela Herrera’s Dodge Caravan at 9:33 a.m. to the storage unit. The individuals are observed entering and exiting storage unit #23 before returning to the van.
A man is observed outside the van, scanning the area before entering storage unit #23. This activity persists throughout the day, concluding at 7:52 p.m. when the van departs. The vehicle makes its return at 10:19 p.m. Footage captures several bursts of illumination within the vehicle, which contains numerous individuals. Shortly after, a man is spotted fleeing from the storage unit, seemingly injured and bleeding.
A man received medical attention at a hospital for a gunshot injury and named Cateura Nogueras as the shooter. In the course of the police questioning, the injured individual stated that he was unaware of Varella Herrera’s whereabouts.
The victim who survived reported to authorities that he thought Cateura Nogueras attempted to take his life, firing at him twice — one bullet dislodging a tooth that was later discovered on the floor of the storage unit, while another grazed his face and passed through his arm, according to court documents.
Authorities located Cateura Nogueras via his cell phone during the early hours of April 8 in Missouri. A deputy from Buchanan, Missouri, discovered a Pontiac G-6 parked in the lot of a general store, where his phone was indicating its location. He was accompanied by his daughter. Authorities discovered a .22 caliber Phoenix Arms handgun inside the vehicle, according to court documents.
Cateura-Nogueras will receive a sentence on January 22.