Web of Lies on ID examines the case of a 2011 Facebook murder from Orlando, Florida. Jason Rodriguez was shot dead by jealous killer Israel Nieves as he sat in his car waiting for an online date to show up.
The murder was the culmination of an elaborate plan masterminded by Nieves into fooling James into believing he was in an online relationship with a woman, when in fact, he was being led to his death.
Jason was popular with the ladies, and when he started dating Nieves’s ex-girlfriend, the latter became enraged with jealously. Nieves created a false profile on Facebook, where he pretended to be a teenage girl called Ty-Ann.
As Ty-Ann, he flirted with James and built up a relationship with him through emails and online chat. When Jason asked for a face-to-face video chat, Nieves enlisted a female friend’s help to play the part of Ty-Ann.
The friend would later tell the police that she had no idea that Nieves intended to commit murder and that she thought it was all part of a prank.
Jason Rodriguez expected a date
At some point, Ty-Ann invited Jason to her home. He was given an Orlando address, and on February 2, 2011, he parked his car outside what he thought was his date’s house.
As Jason was sat in his car, Nieves approached the window and shot him twice, once in the face and once in the neck. Nieves then pursued and shot at a witness; thankfully, he missed, meaning the bystander was able to get away and later gave the police a crucial description of the killer.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelJason was taken to hospital, but tragically, died a week later.
The detectives learned of Jason’s “relationship” with Ty-Ann through his computer, and they were then able to link Nieves to the fake profile through his email and iTunes account.
When the police searched his parent’s home, they located a .32 pistol along with clothing that the witness had described.
Nieves denied he had anything to do with the murder and claimed he had set up the fake profile in order to prove to his ex-girlfriend that Jason was a cheat. His defense was hampered by evidence that he had threatened his ex-girlfriend.
In 2013, Nieves was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He began his sentence on his 22nd birthday.
More from Investigation Discovery
Follow the links to read about more crimes profiled on ID this month.
By all accounts, freak show performer Grady Stiles, aka Lobster Boy, was thoroughly despised by the other members of the carnival community. When he was murdered, there were plenty of suspects.
Qaw’mane Wilson was an aspiring rapper from Chicago who loved to live the rock n roll lifestyle. He liked to flash the cash so much that he arranged to have his mother, Yolanda Holmes, murdered so he could inherit her money.
Web of Lies airs at 8/7c on Investigation Discovery.
This is not the first time someone has been killed by someone they met on farcebook. Social media has been a curse on society.