GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Green Bay Police said they have made two more arrests in connection with the homicide of Jason Mendez-Ramos, whose body was found on a trail near the UW-Green Bay campus last year.
One other man, Jeisaac Rodriguez-Garcia, has already been formally charged in connection with the case but is not charged with homicide.
On February 1, the Green Bay Police Department arrested Pedro A. Santiago-Marquez and Alexander Burgos-Mojica. Police said they are involved in Ramos' homicide. Police said the two people were taken into custody at their local residences without incident and subsequently taken to the Brown County Jail after being interviewed.
Two criminal complaints filed later in the day reveal more details about the case.
The charging document issued for Pedro Santiago-Marquez said he owed the victim money, according to the victim’s girlfriend.
A van was spotted at the scene where the body was found, as shown on a Ring security video, the complaint says. An anonymous source helped police track down a van parked in Rodriguez’s residence, the complaint says.
According to the complaint, the vehicle, a 2006 gray Ford Econoline van, was registered to Pedro Santiago-Marquez. Police confiscated the van.
When interviewing Jeisaac Rodriguez-Garcia, police noted that Rodriguez called Santiago several times Monday evening and early Tuesday morning. Police also said that cell phone records placed Rodriguez near the area of UWGB. Police said this contradicts Rodriguez's claim that he was home all night.
When police confronted Rodriguez in an interview that he was driving the van to UWGB to dump Ramos’ body, Rodriguez denied that. Rodriguez continued to state that all the calls between him and Santiago were about the van being dropped off at Rodriguez's house.
At one point, the criminal complaint says Rodriguez stated that he was afraid that Santiago or others would find out that he was talking to the police and that something could happen to him or his family.
Towards the end of the interview, Detective Graf asked Rodriguez if he would be willing to give a sample of his DNA, and Rodriguez complied. A previously filed criminal complaint for Rodriguez's charge says his DNA was found at the crime scene.
In late December, the criminal complaint said a witness, identified as “Witness 2”, contacted a detective because he wanted to "tell [the detective] everything".
According to the criminal complaint, Witness 2 said Santiago owed the victim $80,000 for a past cocaine deal.
Witness 2 knew that on the day the Ramos went missing, Santiago was supposed to meet him in the morning. About a week prior to that day, Witness 2 stated Santiago told him he was going to "pop" Ramos, implying he was going to shoot him. Witness 2 stated he tried to talk Santiago out of doing it, telling him to just pay him the money.
The complaint says Witness 2 spoke to Ramos that morning when Ramos arrived at Santiago’s shop. The witness said he tried to convince Ramos to leave, but Ramos insisted on staying because Santiago owed him money.
When Witness 2 came back later in the day, the complaint said "he could tell something was up." The complaint also said Santiago asked Witness 2 to remove the victim's car from the parking lot of the shop. The witness drove the car to where it was ultimately found, the complaint says.
The complaint said another person then told Witness 2 that he was, "at the shop when Santiago shot victim in the head."
The complaint said police later found a gunshot wound in the back of Ramos’ head. The witness believes Santiago and Rodriguez disposed of the body.
Later, the complaint says a new witness told police she heard talk of cleaning the shop floors with bleach.
According to the complaint, in an interview with police, Santiago said he knew the victim and was aware he died. Santiago said the victim worked for him at the shop and that he did owe the victim money. Santiago said the victim was at his shop playing dominoes.
Santiago has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and mutilating a corpse.
Additionally, Alexander Burgos-Mojica has been charged with harboring/aiding a felon in connection with the case. According to the charging document for Burgos-Mojica, Burgos said he knew the victim and would come and go from a business owned by Santiago.
The criminal complaint said Burgos first denied it, but then later admitted to talking with Santiago at the shop the day victim was killed. The complaint indicates Burgos was inconsistent with information throughout the interview with the police.
Initial court appearances for both Santiago and Burgos are scheduled for Thursday.
