RODOLFO GONZALEZ, a 39-year-old Wisconsin man, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide after authorities allege he repeatedly gashed his mother's neck with a sharp object, covered her head with cat litter and set fire to the bed where she lay dead.
Background
The incident occurred Sunday at an apartment complex in New London, approximately 40 miles west of Green Bay. Firefighters responded to reports of smoke emanating from a fifth-floor unit and discovered three separate fires inside the residence, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit filed with the Waupaca County District Attorney's Office.
Upon entering the apartment, emergency personnel found an unresponsive woman on the bed suffering from multiple stab wounds to her neck. Investigators observed that a fire had been set between the victim's legs and discovered cat litter covering her head. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim has not been publicly identified in court documents. An autopsy conducted by the Waupaca County Medical Examiner determined she died from multiple sharp force injuries to the neck. Crucially, investigators determined the woman was already deceased when Gonzalez allegedly set the fire inside the apartment—there was no soot found in her lungs and no carbon dioxide present in her blood.
Gonzalez resided with his mother at the apartment complex. Court records indicate he had been facing attempted murder charges stemming from a violent incident involving the same victim that occurred in February 2026. At the time of that case, Gonzalez had been deemed incompetent to stand trial.
The Investigation
Investigators reviewed video surveillance footage from the building which allegedly captured Gonzalez entering the apartment while holding what appeared to be a book around the time the fire was reported.
Officers located Gonzalez approximately two hours later seated on a bench near an elementary school in the area. When authorities attempted to take him into custody, he allegedly resisted arrest and required physical restraint with leg shackles. During a search incident to his arrest, officers recovered two lighters and a Bible from his person.
Gonzalez was booked into the Waupaca County Jail where he remains held on a $1 million cash bond. He faces five criminal counts: first-degree intentional homicide, recklessly endangering safety, arson, mutilating a corpse and resisting an officer. The affidavit does not detail a possible motive for the killing.
Key Takeaways
- Rodolfo Gonzalez, 39, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide in connection with his mother's death
- Authorities allege he stabbed the victim multiple times in the neck before covering her head with cat litter and setting fire to her bed
- The medical examiner determined she was already dead when the fire was set—no soot or CO2 was found in her lungs
- Gonzalez had pending attempted murder charges from February involving the same victim; he had been deemed incompetent to stand trial
- He was arrested near an elementary school approximately two hours after the fire was reported, allegedly resisting officers during apprehension
- Two lighters and a Bible were recovered from his person at the time of arrest
What's Next
Gonzalez is scheduled to appear in Waupaca County Circuit Court on August 4 for his preliminary hearing. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the events leading up to the victim's death. Prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they will seek additional charges related to the case.