Jordy Husein Suljanovic, a 46-year-old Texas man, was handed a life sentence following his conviction for murdering his wife and her lover.
The court found Suljanovic guilty of shooting his 41-year-old wife, Adriana Perez, and her 33-year-old boyfriend, Omar Santamaria-Ruiz. He shot them after discovering their affair through a hidden camera in their Houston residence on October 2, 2018.
Following the killings, Suljanovic and his 21-year-old son, Jordy Suljanovic Jr., drove to Louisiana. The younger Suljanovic disposed of Santamaria-Ruiz’s body in a wooded area near Natchitoches, while his mother’s body was left close to the Atchafalaya River outside Baton Rouge.
Suljanovic Jr. later pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence in exchange for a five-year prison term.
Suljanovic Sr., a Bosnian refugee, sold his home and fled to Mexico City. He fled with his two young daughters, son, and his son’s 16-year-old girlfriend.
The family planned to escape to Bosnia, but law enforcement apprehended Suljanovic in London after the first leg of their journey. He was subsequently extradited to Houston.
On Tuesday, Suljanovic was found guilty of capital murder and automatically sentenced to life in prison without parole. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg commented on the case, emphasizing that Suljanovic “killed two people, including the mother of his children, and tried to flee the country to escape responsibility.”
Ogg also highlighted the importance of pursuing justice for victims in cases involving domestic violence, which can potentially escalate to murder.
Assistant District Attorney Lauren Bard, who prosecuted the case alongside ADA Kim Nwabeke, revealed that Suljanovic had a history of abusive behavior towards his wife.
Perez had been subjected to verbal and physical abuse, and as a native of Mexico without citizenship, she likely felt trapped and unable to leave. Bard also suggested that Perez may have stayed in the relationship because of her two young daughters.