TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Murdered Tucson Police Cadet Carlos Ramirez was fighting off a home invasion, according to charges against one of the suspects.
Documents charging Santiago Jorge Rogers with murder cite testimony by Ramirez’s fiancée. She was wounded in the attack, but she and her unborn baby survived.
She says Ramirez told her two masked men were in their house. Ramirez shouted at her to open their gun safe. She says Ramirez fought with both men until she heard gunshots. She was wounded in the shoulder.
Ramirez’s fiancé is a Corrections Officer at the Pima County Jail. Ramirez was also a Corrections Officer there until he began training at the Tucson Police Academy.
Investigators believe the attackers were in a gray SUV. They say surveillance video showed it in Ramirez's neighborhood from 3:50 am to 4:30 am the morning of the attack.
Convenience store video recorded shortly before the attack helped identify Rogers. Investigators say they were able to enhance the video to get images of Rogers’ tattoos that were clear enough to get a match.
Authorities say the bald man with the beard is Alex James Barnett. He was the first person identified as a suspect. He has not been arrested as of now.
A SWAT team arrested Santiago Jorge Rogers at a motel on South Palo Verde in Tucson.
Even before the arrest in the murder of Carlos Ramirez, he already had a long prison record for weapons violations, shoplifting, drugs, and prison contraband. State corrections records describe him as a high-risk inmate for most of his time in prison.
He was only twelve when he shot and killed a friend. Rogers got intensive probation when the judge was convinced the shooting was an accident.
