Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: The Graham County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jesus Manuel Ramos, 31, after he reportedly shot and killed a horse.
Contributed Article/Courtesy GCSO
GRAHAM COUNTY – On March 15 at approximately 8:18 p.m., the Graham County Communications Center received a report of a male by the name of “Jesus Ramos” had shot and killed a horse and then shot into a residence and had left in a silver or gray colored Jeep towards Thatcher, AZ. The incident address was in the 10000 of W. US Highway 70, Graham County.
Law Enforcement arrived and found a horse had been shot and was deceased. Law Enforcement also found spent shell casings and evidence at the residence and a vehicle had been hit by rounds and damaged. The structure had people inside at the time.
According to several witnesses, the male suspect had shot at the horse with a handgun and left in a newer model, gray (also described as silver) Jeep with black wheels. Information was relayed to law enforcement that the suspect, identified as Jesus Manual Ramos (age 31 of Graham County) possibly lived somewhere on “Stadium” near the Thatcher Police Department.
Information was also broadcast Jesus Ramos might currently be near the river in the Thatcher area calling for a ride from the river.
At approximately 8:34 p.m., a vehicle in the area of the river was seen by Law Enforcement and a perimeter around the river area where the vehicle was seen was being conducted.
At approximately 8:53 p.m., a Thatcher officer reported seeing a silver Jeep arrive at a residence in the 1100 block of N. Stadium Ave. and saw a male go into the residence. Law Enforcement responded to Stadium Ave., to assist.
At one point, a vehicle, not the Jeep, was seen leaving the residence and stopped at the Thatcher Ballpark. The driver, an adult female, told Law Enforcement she went to the house to see a female by the name of “Ashley” and Ashley’s boyfriend when the Jeep arrived. The female was showed a photo of Jesus Manual Ramos and identified him as the male she saw at the residence.
At approximately 9:23 p.m., a male was seen exiting the back door of the residence and go to the southeast corner of the yard. At approximately 9:24 p.m., law enforcement saw a male in a red shirt, black/dark pants, fitting the clothing description reported by the victims, coming from the north side of the residence in the backyard and taken into custody.
At approximately 9:29 p.m., while in the yard two handguns stacked on top of each other were seen in the lower part of a tree. It was discovered those at the residence did not live there, and Jesus Ramos had not spent the night at the address but had come to visit. The Jeep’s registered owner showed Jesus Ramos, giving a different address in Graham County.
The shooting scene was processed where over 20 spent shell casings and other evidence of the killing of the horse, shooting into a structure and vehicle were discovered.
A search warrant for the residence in the 1100 block of N. Stadium and the Jeep were conducted where items of evidence were seized, to include the two handguns.
Jesus Manual Ramos was charged with several counts of aggravated assault, shooting into a structure and other additional felonies. The investigation continues due to the nature of the incident.
The Graham County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Safford, Thatcher, Pima Police Departments and the Department of Public Safety for their assistance on the night of the incident.
