Arizona police shooting suspect arrested, another remains at large after killing 1, wounding fiancee

Residents in Tucson’s far southwest side are facing an ongoing manhunt after a home invasion left a 23-year-old Tucson police recruit dead and his fiancée, a Pima County corrections officer, wounded. Deputies have arrested one man in connection with the Aug. 19 shooting, but another identified suspect remains at large, and investigators are still determining whether a third man played a role. Authorities have not announced a possible motive, leaving unanswered questions for the couple’s family, neighbors and the wider local law enforcement community.

Carlos Ramirez was found shot inside his home near West Valencia Road and South Camino Verde shortly before 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. His 23-year-old fiancée was also shot and taken to a hospital, where she was reported to be in stable condition. The couple’s child was inside the home during the shooting, authorities said. The department has not released the fiancée’s name.

Ramirez had worked as a Pima County corrections officer before becoming a Tucson Police Department recruit. He was expected to complete the police academy and graduate Aug. 27, only days after he was killed. His fiancée also worked for the county corrections department, adding a particularly painful dimension to the case for colleagues in both agencies. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and Tucson Police Chief Monico Prieto addressed the shooting during a news briefing, as authorities initially searched for multiple suspects.

Investigators have identified three men in connection with the case. Santiago Jorge Rogers, 39, was arrested early Saturday at a hotel in the 4800 block of South Palo Verde Road, near East Irvington Road and Interstate 10. The sheriff’s department said he was taken into custody on a warrant for first degree murder and is being held without bond at the Pima County Jail. Authorities have not publicly described his specific actions during the alleged home invasion.

Alex James Barnett, 33, remains wanted. The sheriff’s department said he has also used the name Alex Wilson and has prior burglary and weapons convictions. Court records show that he pleaded guilty to unlawful imprisonment in December 2024. Investigators said Barnett was last seen riding a Harley Davidson FLHXS motorcycle with Arizona license plate DA466. At that time, authorities described him as wearing a red shirt and black leather vest. Anyone who sees him should call 911 rather than approach him.

The department has also located the third man connected to the investigation, but he has not been arrested or publicly identified. Detectives contacted him Saturday evening and are working to determine his involvement. Authorities previously released surveillance video showing a man walking away from a gray Acura MDX believed to have been used to leave the shooting scene. The sheriff’s department has not said whether that man will face charges.

Surveillance footage has helped investigators reconstruct parts of the hours surrounding the shooting. Video from a Shell station at 5405 West Valencia Road shows men authorities identified as Rogers and Barnett wearing black clothing and collecting items inside the convenience store at about 5:20 a.m., roughly 20 minutes before deputies responded to the shooting. Sheriff Nanos previously said the suspects appeared to be wearing all black clothing and ski masks during the attack. Later footage showed a third man parking the gray Acura in a lot and walking away.

The investigation began after a 911 call brought deputies to the home shortly before 6 a.m. on Aug. 19. Ramirez was pronounced dead at the scene, while his fiancée was hospitalized with a gunshot wound. The sheriff’s department released images and information about the suspects as the search expanded, and authorities asked residents and businesses to review surveillance footage or report information that could help locate Barnett. The department has not provided a public explanation for why the home was targeted or whether the victims knew any of the suspects.

Rogers’ arrest marked the first major break in the search, but investigators continue to seek information about Barnett and the third man. A search of Pima County court records found no prior cases for Rogers, although records involving a man with the same name and age in other Arizona counties include drug and shoplifting convictions, along with a correctional facility contraband case and lesser charges. Authorities have not said whether those records belong to the same person arrested in Tucson. Tips about Barnett or the shooting can be reported to 911 or the anonymous 88 CRIME line at 520 88 CRIME.