A witness told Midland County deputies about a killing, leading investigators to human remains found inside a trailer storage bin.
MIDLAND, Texas — A body has been recovered in Midland after a witness told police he saw a murder during the early hours of Monday morning.
According to an affidavit, Midland County Sheriff’s Office deputies initially responded to the wrong address in the area of NCR 1135. Homeowners there consented to a search, but deputies later determined the residence they were looking for was at another nearby property. The homeowners also told investigators that suspicious activity frequently occurred at the other residence, where 43-year-old Sandra Ramos reportedly lived.
Deputies then responded to the residence on NCR 1135, where they found a double-wide trailer with covered windows, large dogs, and trenches being dug behind the home. Deputies said they repeatedly knocked on the door, but no one answered. Authorities later contacted Ramos, who agreed to meet with deputies but never arrived.
Court documents state investigators later interviewed a witness who appeared disorganized and inconsistent but claimed he witnessed a murder inside the trailer.
The witness allegedly gave investigators a cellphone believed to belong to Ramos and showed them recordings of conversations between himself and another male suspect.
According to the affidavit, the witness said the victim had been involved in a dispute over stolen money that was allegedly deposited into a Chime account.
Investigators said the witness told them Ramos picked him and the victim up from a hotel and drove them to the residence in the 4400 block of North County Road, where several people were allegedly using methamphetamine and partying.
The witness also claimed Ramos later contacted the male suspect through FaceTime and discussed assaulting the victim.
Later that night, the male suspect allegedly arrived at the home wearing a bandana, sunglasses, and a hat. The witness told investigators Ramos then held him at gunpoint with a handgun while the suspect allegedly beat the sleeping victim with a baseball bat.
The affidavit states Ramos also allegedly assaulted and stabbed the victim before placing the body in a large blue wheeled tote container.
The witness told authorities Ramos forced him to shower at gunpoint and change clothes before attempting to make him dismember the body with a hacksaw. He later told investigators he left the home after Ramos drove away.
According to the affidavit, the witness then contacted law enforcement and provided investigators with text messages allegedly sent by Ramos after the incident.
Documents state that around 10:50 a.m. on May 12, investigators returned to the property and saw a neighbor operating an excavator behind the residence. Authorities spoke with the neighbor and later contacted the property owner by phone.
The homeowner reportedly confirmed he owned the property and provided investigators with a residential deed. He also told authorities he had been trying to remove Ramos from the home for about a year but had been unable to because he lived out of the area.
The homeowner gave investigators permission to enter the residence and conduct a search and asked that Ramos be removed from the property if possible.
Investigators said the north-side entry door was locked, so they used a breaching tool to force entry.
Inside the home, authorities reported finding a black wheeled storage bin with a portable air conditioning unit blowing air into it. Investigators also noted two silver pots filled with water near the container and what appeared to be dried oatmeal or wood shavings on top of the bin.
Investigators said they opened the container and discovered dismembered human remains believed to be those of a man.
Authorities said they immediately secured the scene and obtained a search warrant to continue processing the residence.
According to the affidavit, investigators developed probable cause to charge Ramos and another male suspect with murder for the death of Victor Nunez. An arrest warrant was requested for two suspects.
Ramos was arrested on Tuesday on a murder charge. It remains unclear whether the second suspect has been arrested in connection with the case.
Ramos is currently being held with a bond of 2 million dollars.