SAN ANGELO, Texas — UPDATE: (5 p.m. Sept. 16): The state called several more witnesses Monday afternoon in the murder trial of Andres Rios Ramirez.
Assistant District Attorney Tiffany Sheppard took over for the state after the court recessed for lunch. The state called Gema Guerra, forensic scientist for the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab in Lubbock to the stand.
Guerra testified on the three packages submitted to her lab and processed related to the Garcia murder, which included a black folding knife, a handgun and a ammunition magazine.
She said Ramirez's DNA was taken from Ramirez through a "buckle" swab, meaning a cheek swab.
The knife was swabbed for possible DNA, as well as couch cushions taken from Ramirez's home. From the cushions, two samples were taken, Garcia could not be excluded from the sample, but Ramirez was excluded. According to Guerra, the DNA profile on the cushions indicated an 11.1 octillion probability that the victim, Garcia, could not be excluded as the source of the blood. An octillion, Guerra explained to the court, is a one with 27 zeros after it.
Ramirez was excluded from the DNA samples taken from the cushion.
On the black folding knife, swabs indicated a mixture of DNA from Garcia and an unknown individual on the handle. It was inconclusive whether the additional DNA could be attributed to Ramirez.
The swab stain on the blade was a mixture that was 13.5 sextillion Garcia and an unknown individual. A sextillion, Guerra explained, is a one with 21 zeros after it.
A handgun, a Smith and Wesson 9mm taken from the Pontiac Vibe Ramirez was driving when arrested, tested positive in a presumptive swab testing. The slide of the gun was positive in a presumptive test for DNA. The tip of the barrel tested negative for blood.
On swab stain 1, taken from the gun, the chances of the blood coming from Garcia was 5.186 million times likely. It was shown that DNA from Ramirez and one unknown individual was 259 sextillions. Neither the victim or the suspect could be excluded from the sample on the gun.
Partial DNA from the grip, trigger and release showed 9,260 times positive that it was from Garcia and 1.02 quadrillion times positive for Ramirez and one unknown individual. Neither the victim or suspect could be excluded from the sample.
The partial swab stain on the barrel of handgun showed a single female profile, but was inconclusive whether the sample was Garcia's. Ramirez was excluded.
Hawkins cross-examined Guerra, drawing attention to a small flat paper bag which contained the black folding knife. He asked her to remove the knife from the bag and it was entered into evidence, after asking Guerra to re-read some of her findings.
The defense then referenced a pair of blue rubber gloves recovered from the Pontiac Vibe that was being driven by Ramirez at the time of his arrest. Those were, according to Guerra, positive for blood, however, Garcia and Ramirez were excluded in the sample.
The state called Gilbert Hernandez Jr. to the stand. Hernandez appeared in shackles. Jail records show he's being held on a bench warrant at the Tom Green County Jail.
Hernandez said he's lived in San Angelo for 40 years and knew Garcia as "Cami." He told the court Garcia was a friend and that he knew her to live "in the streets, to my understanding."
He testified that he knew her to use methamphetamine, but she didn't act aggressively.
According to Hernandez, Garcia was "always laughing or playing around. She was always smiling."
He said Garcia would always just come and go, but said she had expressed concerns about what he believed to mean she wanted to leave town.
In cross examination, Hawkins asked Hernandez what kind of music Garcia listened to.
"Rap, I guess," Hernandez said.
Hawkins asked if Hernandez had ever given Garcia a knife. Hernandez said he "may or may not have," and he didn't recall, however, he remembered seeing a knife, but he thought it had a black blade as well.
DPS Special Agent Michael Sims was called to the stand next. On March 20, 2018, he was called upon to assist the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office with the Garcia murder.
Sams said he was assigned to a team which had received information on a location on Upton Street, where Garcia was thought to have frequented. They made contact with Hernandez's father at that location.
Sams said he went to a home on San Jacinto Street after learning that Garcia frequented that as well. He learned that Garcia left a bag of clothing there and a bicycle.
Sams then went to a home in the 600 block of Antonio Street and met with Hector Ramirez on arrival. He was given information about someone named "Little Monster" who lived on Antonio Street that associated with Garcia. Another officer then took over the interview with Hector Ramirez and Sams returned to the TGCSO for another briefing on the case.
The following day, another briefing was held to go over the information law enforcement had gathered to that point. Sams went back to the Upton Street location, where Gilbert Hernandez Jr. went to the sheriff's office with officers for a non-custodial interview.
Other officers went to a home on Paint Rock Road to make contact with another individual, who agreed to a non-custodial interview with investigators, as well.
While at the TGCSO, Sams said the learned Ramirez had a connection to Garcia saying they "heard he was a boyfriend."
Further investigation led to another home in the 600 block of Antonio Street, where a 2003 Pontiac Vibe that had been previously parked at the location, had been moved to a home in the 700 block, according to Sams.
Sams then set up surveillance of the Pontiac Vibe from Truman Street and at approximately 3:30 p.m. March 21, saw the Vibe backing out of the driveway and turning north onto Truman Street, directly towards the officer.
Sams identified Ramirez as the person driving the Vibe. As Ramirez passed Sams' vehicle, the special agent notified other officers.
Ramirez was known to have no driver's license and a suspended Texas ID.
Sams followed the Vibe, which appeared to him to speed up. Near Currier Street and Knickerbocker Road, the Vibe turned into the Stripes Convenience Store "aggressively," according to Sams, who advised other officers the suspect vehicle was parked at the store.
After the Vibe parked at the store, Sams said he did not approach the vehicle, and had not previously initiated a traffic stop, because he was driving in an unmarked vehicle and DPS policy states officers cannot make traffic stops in unmarked vehicles.
A marked TGCSO vehicle arrived on scene and Ramirez was taken into custody, however Sams had no interaction with Ramirez or the arrest.
The special agent said he left the scene and went back to Antonio Street, to secure both locations, noting that he did not enter either home, but rather stayed on scene to make sure no one entered the properties.
At one point while he was on location, Sams said a female exited the home at 701 Antonio St. and made contact with him, but the female never re-entered the home prior to investigators arriving. She did tell Sams that Ramirez's passenger in the Vibe was her "on and off boyfriend."
Consent to search the home was given and then, once done with that home, investigators focused on 629 Antonio St., where he added, no one was seen coming in or out of that location.
Again, Sams did not enter the home, but rather assisted with a grid search of the yard and helped another investigators process the contents of a trash can for evidence.
In cross-examination, Hawkins asked Sams to repeat times of the investigation and the reasons probable cause was given to stop Ramirez's vehicle.
The state then called David Perez, who lives at the San Jacinto Street home, and knew Garcia. He said he met Camille through his sister's boyfriend and had known her for approximately two years.
Perez said he didn't know much about Garcia's personal live, stating she was a private person, who didn't tell a lot.
"All I know is she had a daughter," Perez told the court.
Garcia used to eat, shower and sleep on occasion at his home, Perez said. He said he only saw her a couple of times a month, the final time being sometime in late February.
About Garcia, Perez said, "She had her days, but most of the time, she was giggling and joking."
Perez testified that he never knew Garcia to have a knife, be violent, use meth or behave aggressively to others, restating that she was "always alone."
"She would just bounce from place to place," he said.
"Free spirit," Palmer asked.
"Pretty much," he replied.
Hawkins asked Perez where Garcia worked when they met.
"She was a stripper," Perez said.
"She was at Desiree's?" Hawkins asked.
"Yes," Perez answered.
Hawkins then asked about Garcia's various tattoos and asked if they were possibly gang-related. He then asked if she had ever shown up at Perez's home and seem to be high. Perez said not that he could tell. Hawkins asked if she drank, to which Perez answered "yes," but stated that she didn't overdrink, as Hawkins asked.
TGCSO Reserve Deputy Grayson Hiers was called to the stand, Hiers served as a patrol deputy in March 2018, patrolling the City's north side.
He was contacted on March 21, 2018, by Sheriff David Jones and TGCSO Det. Gary Cole to assist with a possible traffic stop. He waited for a call and then arrived at the Stripes store on Knickerbocker and placed Ramirez under arrest for driving without a driver's license.
The Vibe was then impounded and an inventory was taken of its contents. While taking inventory, the 9mm handgun was found in a black briefcase-type bag, Hiers said.
Hiers testified that he left the scene to process Ramirez and the investigation of the vehicle's contents was taken by other officers, Sparks and Samaniego.
Hawkins asked Hiers of Ramirez had notified him at the time of his arrest that the handgun was in the vehicle. Hiers answered to the affirmative. He then repeated when asked if he processed the vehicle that he had nothing to do with the crime scene after transporting Ramirez to the TGC Jail.
Court proceedings will resume at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Tom Green County Courthouse.
ORIGINAL STORY: Opening statements began in 391st District Court Monday morning in the murder trial of Andres Rios Ramirez, charged with the March 2018 murder of 24-year-old Camille Garcia. The Hon. Brad Goodwin is presiding over the case.
After his indictment was read, Ramirez entered a plea of not guilty through his court-appointed attorney, Kirk Hawkins The defense entered a claim that Ramirez shot Garcia in self-defense, stating Garcia had a knife in her possession when she was killed.
"The issue's going to come down to whether it was self-defense or not," Hawkins said. "There's always two sides to a story. Cause and effect."
Hawkins alleged there was methamphetamine present at the scene.
The first witness called by the state was Tom Green County Sheriff's Office Patrol Officer Michael Farmer, who initially responded to the call of a body, later identified as Garcia, in a Dumpster at 1015 Cactus Lane.
The homeowner who reported the body met Farmer at the scene in March 2018.
Farmer said he observed what appeared to be a female foot in a boot, wrapped in a dark sleeping bag or blanket. There was no motion or movement to indicate a presence of life, according to Farmer.
When paramedics arrived on scene, Farmer mentioned he saw a Dallas Cowboys tattoo on the foot, after the boot was removed. He said he left the scene not knowing Garcia's identity.
The state entered photos as evidence from the scene on Cactus Lane. Multiple law enforcement officers and agencies were present at the scene, according to Farmer, to include the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers.
Ramirez only briefly glanced up at the crime scene photos showing Garcia's body in the Dumpster as they were displayed on the courtroom's screen.
Bonnie Slone, TGCSO evidence technician, testified as to how the evidence was logged into the SO's evidence locker. Hawkins asked who had keys to the evidence locker, to which Slone replied only herself and the forensics technician.
Forensics technician Amanda Brechtel was called to the stand next to present evidence collected related to the case. A firearm, magazine and ammunition, as well as a black tank top and pair of shorts were entered into evidence.
The state then called TGCSO Sgt. Investigator Orlando Juarez to the stand. Juarez stated he arrived at the scene at approximately 4 p.m. March 20 and observed what appeared to be a female body, wrapped in a blanket, inside a Dumpster.
Investigators were able to produce a lead to provide a possible identification of the body by comparing tattoos and mugshots to the victim. At that time, Juarez said he believed the victim to be Garcia.
Juarez testified that it took at least 10 people to remove the body from the Dumpster. More photographic evidence was entered by Palmer from the scene.
When those photos were displayed, Ramirez briefly glanced up at the image of Garcia's body, wrapped in a blood-soaked blanket, then looked down.
Juarez said he checked Facebook profiles to help identify Garcia, finding one profile under the name "C Doll Doll," and was able to develop a list of possible associates.
On March 21, 2018, he and another officer traveled to Lubbock to accompany Garcia's body for autopsy. A sexual assault examination was also performed and the results were sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab in Lubbock, according to Juarez.
Palmer then asked Juarez to identify and open brown paper bags containing Garcia's tank top and shorts, collected at autopsy and entered into evidence. A tuft of hair was still attached to the tank top. Juarez removed the hair, at Palmer's request, placed in a plastic bag, and marked into evidence.
Palmer then showed more photos of Garcia, obtained from Facebook, followed by drone footage of the scene and of Ramirez's residence, shot by former TGCSO Chief Deputy Dale Pearce.
Hawkins asked Juarez where the photos of Garcia were obtained and who obtained them, then asked if all the photos seen on Facebook were "as flattering as ones presented in court."
He then asked Juarez if it was fair to say that any of the additional photos showed Garcia "high or strung out." Juarez answered to the affirmative.
The court recessed for lunch at approximately 11:40 a.m. and will resume at approximately 1:30 p.m. Monday.