Man charged in restaurant manager's murder appears before judge

HOUSTON – Loved ones of Joseph Angel Ramos describe him as a kind and generous man.  His death was sudden and shocking to them.  

Investigators tracked down two men they believe are responsible for his death and one of them appeared in a Harris County courthouse Monday morning.

Handcuffed and escorted by an officer, Taylor Coyledean walked into the courtroom and faced a judge for the first time.  Police traveled across the country to get their hands on the 21-year-old, who they say killed the 51-year-old restaurant manager.

Detectives say Ramos allowed Coyledean and his 22-year-old friend, Carlos Martinez, to stay at his apartment in November.  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 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.

Detectives searched for evidence and weeks later, found Coyldean and Martinez in Los Angles with Ramos' car, wallet and passport.

Coyledean was brought bcak to Houston, but Martinez remains in California and is fighting extradition.

Coyledean left court Monday with a grin on his face.  He was charged with murder and his bond was set at $500,000.