The tragic incident occurred on September 14, 2018, just hours before a planned vigil marking the second anniversary of Rodriguez’s daughter Kayla Cuevas’s murder. Cuevas, along with a friend, was brutally hacked and beaten to death by MS-13 members in a dispute among high school students.
Kayla’s Killer
In August 2023, Enrique Portillo, known as “Oso” and “Turkey,” a member of the MS-13 gang, pleaded guilty to charges related to his involvement in the the brutal killings of teenagers Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens on September 13, 2016, in Brentwood.
The murders stemmed from escalating disputes between Cuevas and MS-13 members. One week before the murders, an altercation occurred at Brentwood High School. On the evening of the killings, Portillo and other MS-13 members spotted Cuevas and Mickens while driving around looking for rivals. They quickly obtained permission to kill the girls, then attacked them with baseball bats and a machete.
“As part of his desire to gain status within MS-13, Portillo repeatedly acted with complete disregard for human life, killing four individuals along with multiple other attempts,” Breon Peace, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a news release.
Prosecutors stated that Drago was trying to sell her house at the time and did not want the memorial to scare off potential buyers. On the day of the incident, Drago dismantled the memorial Rodriguez had set up for her daughter, removing items and placing them in her vehicle. When Rodriguez confronted Drago, demanding the return of the items, a fatal altercation ensued. Drago attempted to leave the scene and struck Rodriguez with her vehicle, ultimately running her over and causing her death.
Convictions Overturned
Drago’s legal journey has been tumultuous. In March 2020, she was convicted of Criminally Negligent Homicide, Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, and Petit Larceny. She was sentenced to nine months in jail in March 2021. However, in July 2022, the Appellate Division reversed the conviction, sending the case back to Suffolk County Court for a retrial.
In October 2023, Drago faced a retrial where she was found guilty of Petit Larceny but acquitted of Criminal Mischief. A mistrial was declared on the Criminally Negligent Homicide charge, prompting yet another legal proceeding.
Guilty Plea
Finally, on May 31, 2024, Drago pleaded guilty to Criminally Negligent Homicide. She is expected to receive five years of probation when she returns to court for sentencing on August 1, 2024. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office had recommended a sentence of one to three years in prison.
“Evelyn Rodriguez was still mourning the loss of her daughter when this defendant dismantled her daughter’s memorial, and then struck the victim with her vehicle, ultimately causing her death. We hope this plea brings some sense of peace and closure to Ms. Rodriguez’s family, a family that has suffered multiple tragic losses,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney. “My office is committed to continuing Ms. Rodriguez’s fight to combat the scourge of gang violence, and to make our streets safer for all residents of Suffolk County.”
