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Holland jury finds man guilty of murder in woman's 2021 death

Enrique Estrada III admitted to detectives that he suffocated mother of two Katherine Rutgers with a wet rag the day after Christmas in 2021.

HOLLAND, Michigan — Editor's note: the related video above was first uploaded in Jan. 2022.

A Holland jury in Ottawa County Circuit Court has handed Enrique Estrada III a first-degree murder conviction Thursday, the Grand Haven Tribune reports. 

Estrada suffocated 25-year-old Katherine Rutgers on Dec. 26, 2021, with a wet rag, he told detectives after the killing.

She was the mother of two young daughters.

RELATED: Holland homicide victim identified as young mother

Court documents detailed a volatile relationship between the two prior to her murder. 

Katherine's sister, Kalina, told police at one point Enrique had broken into her home when she was not there.

Credit: Provided

Estrada called police to the home around 2 a.m. and told officers he was locked out of the home and couldn't get back inside.

Estrada told police he was concerned something was wrong with Katherine. When the sergeant knocked on the door, no one answered. He left and told Estrada to leave as well.

That same day, around 9 p.m., Katherine's mother Michelle called police after finding her daughter dead inside the home.

In an interview with police, Estrada 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. 

Police say the towel used in the crime was found at Kollen Park and matched other towels found inside Katherine's home.

He will learn his sentence in April. 

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