HOUSTON – The two men suspected of killing restaurant manager Joe Angel Ramos are expected back in Texas by the end of the week.
Carlos Martinez, 22, and Taylor Coyledean, 21, are charged with murder. Friends say Ramos allowed them to stay in his home after they claimed they needed a place to stay.
Investigators said the two strangled Ramos with a belt inside his apartment on Post Oak Park Drive near the Galleria on or about Nov. 8. Ten days later, Ramos' body was found floating in a retention pond on Gasmer in southwest Houston. Investigators said a porcelain statue was tied around his waist with speaker wire.
Court documents show he was wearing a t-shirt and pajama pants. The medical examiner found he died from strangulation and blunt force trauma.
"Just one of the nicest young men I've ever encountered," said friend and former boss Tony Mandola. "He was just a real sweetheart. A real gentleman, very kind. Just a wonderful disposition."
Court documents show at least three people got texts from Ramos' cell phone saying he had gone to Dallas for a funeral, contracted Ebola and was probably being sent to Atlanta. But these texts are not believed to have been sent by Ramos himself.
Court records showed that several months of text messages had been deleted from his phone which was found in his home.
"I just can't imagine anyone doing that to Joe to start off with," said longtime friend, Ashley Harlan. "I think the biggest thing that we lost is someone who is really compassionate. That cared a lot about other people. Would give you the last dollar out of his pocket. And was the most selfless person that was out there."
Over the weekend, police in Los Angeles recovered Ramos' stolen car. They arrested Martinez and Coyledean and said they recovered Ramos' stolen wallet and passport.