The family of 24-year-old Lizeht Rodriguez is desperate for answers after she was found dead along a wooded trail near Pelican Park and the Northlake Nature Center in Mandeville, Louisiana. Her death has been ruled a homicide, and investigators are working to determine who killed her. As her relatives mourn, they are also searching for her missing puppy, Eve, who was reportedly with her when she died.
Rodriguez’s body was discovered around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. A person walking along the trails connecting Pelican Park and the Northlake Nature Center spotted a body lying among fallen leaves and contacted authorities. Deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, and detectives from the department’s Major Crimes Unit began investigating.
The woman was later identified as Rodriguez, with the St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office confirming her identity. The coroner subsequently classified her death as a homicide, confirming that investigators were dealing with a criminal killing. However, officials have not released the specific medical cause of death, details of her injuries, or the method used to kill her.
For Rodriguez’s family, the loss has been especially painful. Her sister described her as the youngest member of the household and someone who held a special place in their family. In a heartbreaking statement, she explained that Rodriguez had recently adopted a puppy named Eve from an animal shelter because the animal was scheduled to be put down.
The family says Eve was with Rodriguez when she died, but the puppy has not been found. Her disappearance has added another painful concern to an already devastating situation. Rodriguez’s relatives are asking anyone who may have seen the dog or knows what happened to her owner to come forward and help them.
Interim Sheriff Bret Ibert said investigators cannot rule out the possibility that the person responsible was a stranger to Rodriguez. The FBI and Louisiana State Police have joined local authorities in the investigation. Officials have not publicly identified a suspect or announced any arrests.
Authorities have also urged residents to exercise caution while detectives work to establish what happened. Sheriff Ibert advised people to avoid walking alone in the area for now and to remain in more public places. Investigators are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who visited the Northlake Nature Center or the connecting trails to Pelican Park on Wednesday afternoon and noticed anything unusual.
Anyone with information that could help investigators is urged to contact the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office at 985-898-2338. Authorities are also asking anyone who knows where Eve might be to help reunite the missing puppy with Rodriguez’s family.
At just 24, Rodriguez’s death has left her loved ones facing questions they desperately want answered. Her family is now grieving a daughter and sister while hoping investigators can identify the person responsible. For them, finding Eve and learning the truth about what happened to Rodriguez remain urgent priorities.