TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Home invaders attacked the house of Tucson Police Cadet Carlos Ramirez because they mistakenly thought they’d find money and drugs to steal. That’s what Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos thinks motivated the attack.
“One of the killers told us this was going to be a rip. They were ripping drugs. That's all these guys do. They got no jobs. They go out and rip people for drugs or money. And I think this was going to be a rip, but I think they got the wrong house.”
Rip crews are criminals who team up to invade homes looking for money and drugs they can steal from other criminals.
The Sheriff says there is no evidence of anything that should have made murder suspects Alex James Barnett and Santiago Jorge Rogers think they’d find money or drugs in the home where Ramirez, his pregnant fiancee’ and their one year old child were living.
“We searched the scene. No evidence of narcotics. No evidence of affluence of large sums a month. Nothing in that home. What we found in that home was a little baby, a mom expecting another child and a deceased father.”
The Pima County Regional Swat Team caught up with Alex James Barnett Monday night in some apartments near Broadway and Camino Seco. There was a three hour stand off but he finally surrendered.
That put him on track for his first court appearance where he learned he’s charged with
First degree murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault. He learned he will be held without bond while his case moves ahead. If he’s granted bond later he must not miss a court appearance.
The Judge asked: “Do you understand that Mr Barnett? He replied, “Yup.”
SWAT co-defendant Santiago Jorge Rogers over the weekend at a motel off South Palo Verde.
Sheriff Chris Nanos says he’s relieved to see the pair under arrest. The suspects have long criminal histories that made them regulars at the Pima County Jail. Carlos Ramirez was a corrections officer in the jail before he went to the police academy. His fiancee is still an officer at the jail but Sheriff Nanos says there’s no connection between the victims and the men charged now.
The Sheriff says a long list of agencies helped work on the case but there would be the same effort even if the victims were not part of law enforcement. Now he says law enforcement is preparing to mourn Carlos Ramirez’ death, while the men charged with killing him move through the courts.
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
