One suspect has been arrested and another located, while authorities continue searching for Alex James Barnett.
TUCSON, AZ — Authorities have recovered an SUV investigators believe was connected to the fatal shooting of Tucson police recruit Carlos Ramirez, a key development in a case that has since led to one arrest, the location of another person under investigation and a continuing search for a third suspect.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said the gray SUV was found in a Tucson parking lot near South Palo Verde Road and East 33rd Street after Ramirez, 23, was killed early Aug. 19 at his home on South Enchanted Spring Drive. His 23-year-old fiancée, a Pima County corrections officer, was also shot and hospitalized. Sheriff Chris Nanos said after the shooting that she was in stable condition. Investigators have not publicly announced a motive.
The vehicle became an early focus of the investigation after surveillance images showed a gray SUV believed to have been used by people connected to the shooting. Authorities initially described the vehicle as an older-model Acura MDX, possibly from model years 2007 through 2013 and possibly missing its fuel door. When detectives announced the recovery, the sheriff’s department said the SUV matched the description from the homicide investigation but did not immediately confirm its exact make and model.
Surveillance footage released during the investigation also showed men authorities believed were connected to the case. Investigators said Alex James Barnett, 33, and another man were seen at a Shell gas station near Valencia Road and Ignacio M Baumea shortly before the shooting. Additional footage showed another unidentified man leaving the SUV in the area where the vehicle was later recovered.
The investigation changed further Saturday when authorities arrested 39-year-old Santiago Jorge Rogers. The sheriff’s department said Rogers was found at a Tucson hotel after deputies, members of a regional SWAT team, fugitive investigators and FBI personnel carried out an arrest warrant. Rogers was booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex in connection with Ramirez’s death.
Rogers appeared in Pima County court Saturday night and faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault, according to local court reporting. He was ordered held without bond and prohibited from contacting the surviving victim or Ramirez’s family. A no-bond hearing was scheduled for Aug. 27, followed by a preliminary hearing Sept. 1. The charges are allegations, and Rogers has not been convicted in the case.
Later Saturday, the sheriff’s department said investigators had located the previously unidentified man seen in surveillance footage leaving the SUV. Authorities did not release his name and said he had not been arrested. Detectives were still working to determine what role, if any, he played in the shooting, making his legal status different from that of Rogers and Barnett.
Barnett remained at large Sunday. The sheriff’s department has obtained a first-degree murder arrest warrant for him and has asked for the public’s help locating him. Investigators described Barnett as 6 feet, 2 inches tall and about 315 pounds, with tattoos on both arms. Authorities also said he had last been seen riding a 2020 Harley-Davidson motorcycle. A reward of up to $2,500 has been offered for information leading to his arrest.
Ramirez was a former Pima County corrections officer who had joined the Tucson Police Department’s Basic Recruit Class 26-1. The Police Department said he had completed 23 weeks of training at the Southern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Center and was scheduled to graduate from the academy Aug. 27, eight days after the shooting.
The Tucson Police Department described Ramirez’s death as a major loss for his family, classmates and the department. Police Chief Monica Prieto said investigators and officers were focused on supporting Ramirez’s loved ones while the Sheriff’s Department led the homicide investigation. Authorities have continued to ask anyone with information about Barnett’s whereabouts or the shooting to contact law enforcement as the search and investigation remain active.
Author note: Last updated August 23, 2026.