Background: A trailer park in Midland, Texas (Google Maps). Insets (left to right): Sandra Ramos and Victor Esparza (Midland County Sheriff's Office).
A Texas woman allegedly killed a man at her home before cutting up his body — and police say she had help.
Sandra Ramos, 43, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the homicide of Victor Nunez, whose dismembered body was found at Ramos' home in Midland, Texas, the same day. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by local NBC affiliate KWES, a man contacted police on Monday to tell them he witnessed a crime, allegedly committed by Ramos. That witness, 31-year-old Victor Esparza, ended up in handcuffs himself after a second witness told police that it was allegedly Esparza who helped Ramos commit that crime.
Both Ramos and Esparza are in custody and charged with murder.
Police said Ramos got Esparza to help her beat, stomp, and strangle Nunez to death before they dismembered his body and stuffed his remains into a storage tote.
According to the arrest affidavit, the first witness, now identified as Esparza, told police that he was present for a murder that took place at Ramos' home after midnight on Monday. When deputies from the Midland County Sheriff's Office responded to the address Esparza provided, Ramos was not there. They made contact with her, and she agreed to come and meet them. However, police said, she never showed up.
Police said the owners of the property told them that they had noticed suspicious activity at the trailer where Ramos lived, including trenches being dug behind the home.
The second witness who spoke to police provided a phone recording of a conversation between him and Esparza. During that conversation, Esparza reportedly said that Nunez and Ramos had a disagreement about money. Ramos reportedly picked up the witness and Nunez at a hotel and brought them back to her home, where several people were using methamphetamine.
According to the affidavit, Esparza said a second male suspect arrived at the home. Ramos then allegedly held Esparza at gunpoint while the second suspect allegedly beat Nunez with a baseball bat. The second witness told police it was allegedly Esparza who beat Nunez, then Esparza and Ramos both strangled and stabbed Nunez until he died.
Esparza reportedly told police that once Nunez was dead, Ramos held Esparza at gunpoint while he took a shower, then forced him to help her dismember Nunez's body with a hacksaw and put the remains in a blue, wheeled storage tote. Esparza told police he then left Ramos' home and contacted authorities. He also provided police with text messages he exchanged with Ramos.
Police returned to the property on Tuesday and searched Ramos' home again after getting permission from the property owner. Inside, they found a wheeled storage bin with an air conditioner blowing on it. When they opened the bin, they found dismembered human remains.
Ramos was arrested on Tuesday and charged with murder, and Esparza was arrested on the same charge on Wednesday. Both are being held at the Midland County Jail on $2 million bond. Their next court dates were not publicly available.