by Blaine Howerton | NorthFortyNews.com
GREELEY, Colo. – A Weld County woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal 2021 murder of a Greeley man, followed by setting his home on fire in an attempt to cover up the crime.
After a two-week trial, a Weld County jury convicted 23-year-old Stacy Rodriguez of first-degree murder, first-degree arson, tampering with a deceased human body, and two counts of second-degree burglary. On Wednesday, Weld County Judge Vincente Vigil handed down a life sentence without the possibility of parole in addition to decades of additional prison time.
A Deadly Encounter at a Greeley Bar
The case dates back to October 2, 2021, when Rodriguez and her co-defendant, Hosanna Varela, met Christopher Dickerson at a bar in Greeley. The trio later went to Dickerson’s home, where the night took a deadly turn.
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Rodriguez stabbed Dickerson to death before setting fire to the house, leaving the scene in a shocking act of violence.
“Chris did not deserve to die that day that he befriended those two young women,” said Allen Dickerson, the victim’s father, during the sentencing hearing. “Chris deserved so much more in his life.”
Sentencing Details
Judge Vigil sentenced Rodriguez to:
- Life in prison without parole for first-degree murder.
- 32 years for first-degree arson.
- 12 years for tampering with a deceased human body.
- 12 years for each burglary charge, to run concurrently but consecutive to the other charges.
“This entire process has been a joke to this defendant,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Pirraglia. “She jokes. She laughs. The jury got to see her true character, which is nothing but diabolical and despicable. She is a threat to society, and there’s no place for her in it.”
Co-Defendant Also Sentenced
Rodriguez’s accomplice, Hosanna Varela, pled guilty in January 2024 to first-degree arson, tampering with a deceased human body, and accessory to a crime. She was sentenced to 32 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Chief Deputy Pirraglia praised Detective Jerry Burroughs and the Greeley Police Department for their dedication to solving the case. He also acknowledged the resilience of the Dickerson family, who endured three years of court proceedings to seek justice.
“I hope this verdict brings some peace,” Pirraglia told the family. “I hope after today, you get some closure in this journey. This family gave us the strength to keep going the past three years, and today we got justice for Christopher.”
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