Homicide suspects Eliseo Leon Rojas and Eusebio Rios Ramos could
be formally charged with the murder of 73-year-old Ralph Santos
this afternoon.
Homicide suspects Eliseo Leon Rojas and Eusebio Rios Ramos could be formally charged with the murder of 73-year-old Ralph Santos this afternoon.
Investigators worked Monday to prepare a report and gather evidence for the San Benito County District Attorney’s Office detailing the alleged criminal activities of Rojas and Ramos.
The report will be the key component that county District Attorney John Sarsfield needs in order to determine what, if any, charges can be filed against the two suspects.
“I have not been given the police report, so I can’t say what I will or will not charge,” Sarsfield said.
But Sarsfield said once he has the report, it should not take long to review the case and decide what charges will be filed.
“It usually only takes a few hours,” Sarsfield said.
Rojas, 24, and Ramos, 30, both of Stockton, are currently being held without bail in San Benito County Jail on suspicion of murder, armed robbery, conspiracy and auto theft, according to jail records. Both allegedly confessed to murdering Santos on June 10, police said.
Investigators have been rushing to get the case to the district attorney’s office because by law anyone who is arrested cannot be held in jail more than 48 working hours unless they have been charged with a crime, ordered held by a judge or are on hold for some other offense. After 48 hours, a suspect must be charged or released.
Rojas and Ramos were arrested Saturday night in Stockton after a police officer spotted Rojas driving Santos’ red 2002 Kia Optima.
Hollister Police Chief Larry Todd and county Sheriff Curtis Hill, leaders of a local task force investigating Santos’ disappearance, were sent to Stockton to question Rojas. As a result, officers obtained a search warrant and went to a house where Ramos was taken into custody.
Along with Ramos, police reportedly discovered several items belonging to Santos, including a credit card and his driver’s license.
After additional questioning, both Rojas and Ramos confessed to killing Santos, Todd said.
Rojas and Ramos were transferred to San Benito County Jail on Sunday.
Investigators said Rojas and Ramos probably killed Santos on the same evening that he disappeared. Santos’ body was discovered in a field near Buena Vista Road in Hollister on June 19.
Police have not released the cause of death, but an autopsy was conducted on June 20 and was inconclusive. Chemical tests are currently being conducted on Santos’ blood and tissue samples to see if they can help determine the cause of death.
Hill said results of the tests should be back soon.
