HOLLAND, Michigan — The man convicted of killing 25-year-old Katherine Rutgers the day after Christmas in 2021 has been sentenced to life without parole.
On March 2, Enrique Estrada III was found guilty of first degree murder by a jury in Ottawa County Circuit Court of suffocating and killing Rutgers with a wet rag.
On Monday, the sentence of life in prison without the chance of parole was handed down to Estrada, which is the only possible sentence for first degree murder in the state.
"You had other options but you didn't pick a good alternative so you're responsible for this," said Hon. Karen Miedema.
Estrada called police to Rutgers' home after the murder and told officers he was locked out of the home and couldn't get back inside.
Police say that he told them that he was concerned about Rutgers, but after the officer knocked on the door and no one answered, he asked Estrada to leave.
Later that night, Rutgers' mother found her daughter dead inside of the home and called police.
Police said that in an interview with Estrada, he admitted to placing a wet rag over Katherine's mouth and nose causing her to suffocate. He told police he held it there for a few seconds despite her struggle.
Estrada said after he pulled the rag off her he noticed her face had turned colors and believed she was dead. He then left the house.
"The way you killed Katherine, so close and so personal and when you killed her, and at Christmas time which is supposed to be a time of happiness shows me how weak and cowardly of a man you are," said Rutgers' brother during his victim impact statement.
Rutgers' family is left to adapt to her loss, but say they will never truly heal. They cling to any memories they can hold on to.
"Katherine did everything for her girls," said Rutgers' mother.
"She was a mother, daughter, a baby sister, a niece, a granddaughter and a friend to so many people," said her sister.
Rutgers leaves behind two young daughters.
The most powerful moment of the sentencing was hearing Rutgers six-year-old child reading her victim impact statement in an audio recording.
"My mom is dead and I miss her so much," Rutgers' oldest daughter can be heard saying. "I have lots of big feelings about Enrique. I feel angry and scared and lots of other stuff. I think Enrique is a bad man. I want Enrique to promise not to kill anyone I love ever again. I'm afraid he might hurt someone again."
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