Josefa Rodriguez, known as Chipita, was born on December 30, 1799, in a region called Nuevo Santander, which was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. This area is now in southern Texas. She grew up in the small town of San Patricio.

As an adult, Chipita provided food and shelter to travelers. She had a lean-to on the porch of her home near the Nueces River. Travelers could stop there to eat and rest. Living by the river, she likely saw many different people pass through her area.

Not much is known about her family or childhood. However, her life in San Patricio was simple. She did what she could to help those who traveled through her town. Chipita's life was not only tied to her home but also to the community around her.

Josefa Rodriguez, often known as Chipita, was accused of a serious crime in Texas. She was charged with robbing and murdering a trader named John Savage, using an axe. After the crime, $600 worth of gold was discovered down the river near where Savage's body was found, wrapped in a burlap bag. Josefa and a man named Juan Silvera, who might have been her illegitimate son, were both indicted based on circumstantial evidence.

The trial took place in San Patricio before Judge Benjamin F. Neal of the 14th District Court. Josefa maintained her innocence during the entire process but chose not to testify in her defense. Some people believed she remained silent to protect Silvera, whom they thought might be guilty. The jury suggested mercy in their recommendation, but Judge Neal sentenced her to execution.

On November 13, 1863, Josefa Rodriguez was hanged. She was 63 years old at the time of her death. Just before her execution, she stated, "No soy culpable," meaning "I am not guilty." Some witnesses claimed to have heard a strange moan coming from her coffin after her hanging. She was buried in an unmarked grave.

Over the years, many stories emerged about her ghost. People reported sightings of her spirit haunting the area around San Patricio, especially when another woman was set to be executed. She is often described as a ghost with a noose around her neck, wandering through the mesquite trees or crying out from the river bottoms.