Viswa Vanapalli
Ever since Pamela Butler disappeared before Valentine’s Day in 2009, her family suspected that the boyfriend had something to do with it. But it took about eight years for the case to be resolved finally. NBC News’ ‘Dateline: A Haunting Stretch of Road’ deals with the circumstances surrounding Pamela’s murder and how a cold case from 1989 was connected to it. Pamela’s brother, Derrick, never gave up hope throughout, wishing to find justice for his sister. So, let’s find out where he might be today then, shall we?
Who is Derrick Butler?
When Pamela’s family got to her two-story home in Washington DC on February 17, 2009, they knew something went awry. The 47-year-old was nowhere to be found and was last seen on February 13. Inside, the family found one of the windows unlocked, something that was unusual for Pamela to do. At the time, Pamela had been dating Jose Rodriguez-Cruz for about five months, and security footage showed him at home on the night she was last seen.
Derrick and the rest of the family always believed that Jose killed Pamela because she wanted to end their relationship. He even theorized that Jose took the body out through the window late in the night away from the cameras. But without a body and no other hard evidence tying Jose to the murder, he was left alone. Over the years, Derrick continued to fight for justice and was instrumental in pointing out that Jose’s wife also disappeared mysteriously in 1989.
The loving brother spent many years searching for answers, adding, “All we could do was wake up in the morning and wonder, is this going to be the day? Is this going to be the day? It’s been a roller-coaster ride that never ends. You would never want to see a family go through this.” His perseverance paid off when the authorities took a closer look at Pamela’s case in early 2017. Finally, through witness statements and other circumstantial evidence, it became clear that Jose was responsible for both Pamela and Marta’s murders. He eventually pled guilty to both.
Where is Derrick Butler Now?
Furthermore, Derrick’s theory about how Pamela’s body was moved turned out to be right when Jose admitted strangling her and then moving the body through the window. As part of his plea deal, Jose was supposed to help the police find Pamela’s remains. In December 2017, Derrick announced that her partial remains were found, but most of it was lost during construction in the area over the years.
After Jose pleaded guilty to killing Marta, Derrick said, “I want to see him serve life for the crimes that he committed. No matter how old he gets — if he comes out of 80 years old, if he makes it that far — he’s still a violent criminal, and it’s not going to change.” Today, Derrick seemingly still lives in Temple Hills, Maryland, and is a retired automotive teacher who taught at the Frank W. Ballou Senior High School in Southeast Washington DC. Derrick has since been at peace, saying that he believed he did all he could have done for his sister.
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