Woman charged in connection to fatal FOP lodge stabbing enters guilty plea

Three indicted men remain fugitives, and a reward of $2,500 is offered for information on their whereabouts.
Sara Rodriguez-Remigio appeared for arraignment Tuesday, May 24 in Butler County Common Pleas Court in connection with the fatal stabbing at the Fraternal Order of Police lodge that occurred earlier this month. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Sara Rodriguez-Remigio appeared for arraignment Tuesday, May 24 in Butler County Common Pleas Court in connection with the fatal stabbing at the Fraternal Order of Police lodge that occurred earlier this month. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

HAMILTON — A woman charged in connection with a fatal stabbing at a teen girl’s quinceañera has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and will spend 16 more days in jail completing her sentence, but deportation may be next.

Sara Elena Rodriguez-Remigio, 46, was charged with tampering with evidence and obstructing justice, both felonies, in the deadly stabbing at the FOP Lodge in Hamilton in early May. She has been held in the Butler County Jail in lieu of $155,000 bond. She also has a a holder for ICE.

Sara Rodriguez-Remigio appeared for arraignment Tuesday, May 24 in Butler County Common Pleas Court in connection with the fatal stabbing at the Fraternal Order of Police lodge that occurred earlier this month. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

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Credit: Nick Graham

Defense attorney Bill Abdullah entered a not-guilty plea on her behalf and her trial was scheduled to begin Sept. 19.

Rodriguez-Remigio was back in court Thursday where she entered a plea to a reduced charge of misdemeanor obstructing justice. The tampering charge, a felony, was dismissed.

According to Hamilton Police, Rodriguez-Remigio lied to a police sergeant during the investigation including the whereabouts of the knife believed to be the murder weapon. But her attorney and prosecutors said she later was truthful and cooperative, turning over her cell phone to aid in the investigation.

Rodriguez-Remigio faced a maximum of 180 days behind bars for the first-degree misdemeanor. Spaeth sentenced her to 120 days and gave her credit for 104 days already served.

Abdullah said it is a “50/50″ chance that is client will be deported to Mexico after her sentence is completed.

Rodriguez-Remigio has been in the United States for 20 years, has six children and has no past criminal history.

Juan Antonio Hidalgo-Flores, 39; Oscar Daniel Flores-Lara,19 and Luis Eduardo Hidalgo-Flores, 18 were each indicted in May for murder, attempted murder and several counts of felonious assault for the stabbing death of 20-year-old Ivan Isreal Diaz and the assault of three others.

Hamilton Police are still searching for the trio and a $2,500 reward is offered for information that results in the arrest of each of the men.

Juan Antonio Hidalgo Flores, left; Oscar Daniel Flores-Lara, middle and Luis Eduardo Hidalgo Flores, right are sought in connection to a stabbing incident that happened at Hamilton's FOP Lodge May 7, 2022. HAMILTON POLICE DEPARTMENT

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Evidence points to one person stabbing all four victims and one firing a gun in the building, but all the suspects are complicit in the act that resulted in Diaz’ death, detectives said. Another person fired a gun in the building, but no one was hit.

The indictment is 10 pages long and contains 53 felony counts for all of the suspects. Prosecutors say Oscar Flores is the person who stabbed all four people and the other two were complicit to all the crimes.

The surviving victims ― Adan Edgardo Segoviano Hernandez, 21, of Hamilton; Joaquin Tovar, 56, of Hamilton; and Jerson Estrada Medrano, 21, of Hamilton ― were treated for severe lacerations which were not life-threatening, police said.

The stabbing incident that happened at FOP Lodge 38 on Joe Nuxhall Way on May 7 initially was reported to police as a shooting. Hamilton and Fairfield police officers and the Hamilton Fire Department were dispatched to the lodge where the quinceañera was taking place — that is a traditional birthday party on a girl’s 15th birthday celebrated among Mexican and Latinx communities and families.

Anyone with knowledge about the whereabouts of Juan, Luis and Oscar Flores is asked to contact Hamilton police at (513) 868-5811, ext. 2002, or call 911.

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