Skip to main content
Clear icon
91º

Arrest documents for 'serial killer' U.S. Border Patrol agent in Texas reveal new details

Juan David Ortiz held in lieu of $2.5 million bond

No description found

LAREDO, Texas – Arrest documents for a U.S. Border Patrol Agent charged with killing four people before a fifth escaped and alerted authorities in Texas, are providing new detail to the execution-style murders the agent is accused of carrying out.

Court documents state Juan David Ortiz, a 9-year veteran of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, confessed to killing four people in less than two weeks.

The victims, three women and one man, have all been located by authorities. 

Court documents state Ortiz confessed to the murders, which are listed chronologically in arrest documents. 

September 3: Melissa Ramirez

According to court records, Ortiz told authorities he picked up Ramirez in Laredo and drove out of city limits when he stopped the car so Ramirez could urinate on the side of the road. 

That's when Ortiz shot Ramirez in the back of the head several times and left her along the side of the road.

Webb County Sheriff's Deputies found her body after someone reported seeing a body on the side of the road. 

September 13: Claudine Ann Luera

Ortiz told investigators he picked up Claudine Ann Luera and that as they drove out of the city, Luera became nervous and accused Ortiz of being the last person to see Ramirez. 

Court documents state Ortiz pulled over and shot Luera multiple times in the head.

A truck driver discovered her body and called authorities, but Luera died at a local hospital.

September 14: Victim escapes from Ortiz

The affidavit states Ortiz picked up a woman and took her to his house. The woman said Oritz began to "act weird" whenever she brought up Ramirez's death, as they both knew her. 

She said she became sick and vomited in Ortiz's front yard before Ortiz's took her to a gas station. 

During the drive to the gas station, the woman said she brought up Ramirez's murder again and that Ortiz pulled out a handgun and pointed it at her.

She said she began screaming for help and that Ortiz grabbed her by her shirt and ripped it off when she attempted to exit his truck. 

She was finally able to get away, court documents said, and flagged down a trooper for help.

When investigators arrived at Ortiz's home to question him about the alleged aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Ortiz was not at his home.

Deputies issued a "look out" for Ortiz's vehicle. When he was located, an affidavit said Ortiz ran from deputies and hid in a hotel parking garage. He was arrested early the next day.

Ortiz was taken in for questioning and deputies said he voluntarily confessed to the murders of four people from Sept. 3 to Sept. 15.

September 15: Ortiz kills "John Doe," "Jane Doe" in separate incidents

Ortiz told deputies that after the woman escaped at the gas station, he picked up an unknown woman from an underpass in Webb County and later told her to get out of his truck.

He told deputies he shot the woman several times in the head.

Later, Ortiz picked up a person authorities initially described as a transgender woman, but authorities referred the victim as "John Doe" in court documents. Ortiz, documents state, told the man to get out of the truck and shot him once in the back of the head. 

Ortiz told authorities the location of the body. Deputies went out to the location and found the man dead in a gravel pit.

Family has identified him as Humberto Ortiz.

____________________

The Webb County Sheriff's Office held a press conference Saturday morning and notified the public of Ortiz's arrest, describing him as a "serial killer."

Webb County-Zapata County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz, said officials are working to find the motive behind the four killings. Authorities described all of the victims as female prostitutes.

Ortiz is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful restraint and four counts of murder. 

He is being held in lieu of $2.5 million bond.


Recommended Videos