16-year-old Venus Rodriguez with her grandmother. Courtesy of Victor Arredondo.
Venus Rodriguez was “always eating snacks,” says her older sister, Sierra Puente.
She helped her younger siblings with their homework after school, and often bought them treats or made them dinner, says her uncle, Victor Arredondo.
“She was a really smart kid, and a help around the house,” Victor says.
These are the things Venus’s siblings, mother, aunts and uncles think of when they think of Venus, and the things they have thought about since the last time they saw Venus.
Four months ago, Venus disappeared.
It was two days before her sixteenth birthday, and her family says they immediately reported her missing.
But when police did find Venus, it was too late. Her bullet-riddled body was discovered in a neighborhood creek Monday.
Police say anyone with information about Venus’s murder should reach out to Detective Jeffrey Loeb at 214-671-3702 or Jeffrey.loeb@dallaspolice.gov.
In the days since her body was found, family members say they are desperate for answers.
Venus Rodriguez (eldest) loved being a big sister, family members say. Courtesy of Victor Arredondo.
“We want to find who did this to her. The way that they murdered her, it’s … I just want the person or people responsible, whoever did it or knows anything, to pay for what they did,” Victor says.
Victor says Venus “met the wrong person,” before running away. He says he began to hear that his niece was spending time with an adult man, and as soon as she ran away the family reported Venus missing.
He says in the four months Venus was missing, the family was frustrated by the lack of answers from police.
“They just kept telling us they would look into it, and they would look into it. And now four months later, she’s gone. To me, if they had different laws for runaways, stuff like this wouldn’t happen to kids,” says Victor.
In a statement made Wednesday, Dallas police said they have launched a homicide investigation into Venus’s death, but they have not named any suspects.
“This could have been avoided,” Victor says. “I think they failed us. As a police system they failed.”
Now, the family is juggling their grief and their hope for justice on top of arranging a funeral for the 16-year-old who was a daughter, sister and niece.
Venus lived with her uncle a few blocks off S. Hampton Road, but her mother says Venus would call her or visit nearly every day.
“She would always say ‘I love you, mom,'” Minerva, Venus’s mother, said. “My door is always open to her.”
Victor says insurance has not agreed to cover funeral expenses because Venus’s death is an open investigation, and figuring out details with family members and insurance companies has been a draining addition to the worst week of his life.
Venus’s aunt, Priscilla Hernandez, says the family has been gathering at Victor’s house to lean on each other during the last week.
“We are a very close knit family,” says Priscilla.
The family has launched a GoFundMe for funeral funds, and hopes to continue sharing the stories of who Venus was.
Venus loved makeup and hoped to one day work in the beauty industry, her family says. Courtesy of Victor Arredondo
They say Venus was the type of person who saw the best in everyone, and was a social and energetic girl.
She played the trumpet in the Molina High School band, and loved music. She had dreams of becoming a beauty specialist, and her family says she loved doing her hair, makeup, nails and eyelashes.
Venus took care of her grandmother, and made TikTok videos.
Every trait that made Venus a sweet and special girl is a reason family members will miss her, they say.
Today, the family visited the area where Venus’s body was found to lay a cross down for their loved one. They say several detectives were onsite when they arrived.
The experience made it all the more real for them.
“No one’s kid should have to die like this,” Minerva said.
