KINGMAN, AZ — Arizona Crime Uncovered is an ABC15 series working to bring awareness to victims who are still waiting for justice and to provide an in-depth look at cases that are still unfolding.
Each episode of Arizona Crime Uncovered breaks down a timeline of the case, where it stands now, and if any help is needed from the community.
This most recent episode covers the mystery of what happened to Marina Ramos. It's a case that the Mohave County Sheriff's Office is still trying to solve. Ramos was found dead in the middle of the desert near Kingman in 1989, and her case went cold for years. The 28-year-old was buried as a Jane Doe until investigator Lori Miller took over the case. ABC15 first started covering Ramos’ story in 2023, just after she was identified. At that time the case took a major twist, as the sheriff's office discovered Ramos' two little girls were also missing.
Watch this full episode of Arizona Crime Uncovered in the player above
After years of investigating, Miller takes us through the new DNA evidence they have collected and interviews in the case that have taken her out of state. She believes with just one tip, this case could end with a reunion.
MARINA RAMOS' MURDER
"[It's] going on four years since the time that we first got the case, to the time that we submitted her fingerprints, to getting her identity," said Miller.
That’s how long Miller has been working this case, but giving up isn’t an option for the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office investigator. ABC15 asked what her initial thought was years ago when she first looked at the case.
"The way in which she was killed and how she appeared, you know, no human being deserves any of that," said Miller. "And so, it just makes you a little bit more determined to try to get her some justice."
In 2023, Miller took ABC15 to the spot where Ramos was found more than 30 years ago in 1989. The 28-year-old was stabbed and left naked in the middle of the desert.
"They surmise it was two suspects. One between 5’10" and 6’2" the other one was between 5’4" and 5’8"," said Miller.
Ramos was ultimately found by tourists on their way to the Grand Canyon, off Highway 93 about 50 miles from Las Vegas. Decades ago, when she was killed, investigators depended on footprints, stride length, and the little evidence found at the scene.
Investigators at the time attempted to take Ramos' fingerprints but were unable to identify her.
Since then, new fingerprint technology surfaced that once again gave Miller hope.
"So I submitted those fingerprints," said Miller. "And the next day they had a name, which did not turn out to be her name. But it was the name that she had utilized in a shoplifting arrest."
Those prints matched a case out of Bakersfield, California, but under a different name.
"So that really began the adventure, because it was a real adventure to figure out who she really was," said Miller.
Finally, a cousin started connecting the dots.
"I said, 'Do you know a Maria Ortiz?' And she said, 'No, but I have a cousin that hasn’t been seen since 1989,'" said Miller.
DNA from her family was used to confirm the woman was Marina Ramos.
"When we did tell the family that it was her, they asked at that time another question, which totally blew us away," said Miller.
She said the family asked where Ramos' two little girls were.
Miller said that, until that moment, they had no idea that Ramos had children.
"That began another investigation in and of itself, because come to find out there was a 2-month-old and 14-month-old that no one in her family has seen since September of 1989."
After decades in law enforcement, this case is still one of a kind for Miller.
"This came as a total surprise, you know?" said Miller. "And it's one thing, obviously, working cold cases that, OK, I have this 1989 case, and she was a Jane Doe. Now I've identified her, but it's been so many years. How am I supposed to find viable evidence and find viable witnesses or suspects? And then on top of that, now I have to find missing little girls. I mean, how many people have that thrown into the mix for them to figure out?"
THE FIRST PUZZLE PIECE
Back in 2023, Miller thought the first puzzle piece would come down to finding a man named Fernando.
Family believed Ramos had been last seen with a man by that name, possibly heading to Ontario, California, with her two little girls. Their names were Elizabeth and Jasmin, but they were just babies in 1989.
"To find out that she has been gone for 30 some years, it's crazy," said Ramos' sister, Margarita Maldonado. "You can’t find the words for it. How? Why?"
ABC15 spoke with Maldonado not long after she learned about her sister’s murder. She said they searched for Ramos around the Bakersfield area, where her family lived off and on. Maldonado said their focus had shifted to finding the two girls.
"I would like to meet them, at least," said Maldonado. "It's part of my sister. I would like to, even if they don’t want to be around us, because they don’t know us. But at least if I stand far away so I can see them, I can see my sister. It's sad. It hurts."
Maldonado said her sister had a tendency to want independence and was overly trusting.
"Oh, she obviously trusted the wrong people," said Miller. "I guess...there was a little bit of wanderlust in her, a little bit of adventure. But at the same time, she lived in this small farming community, and she wasn't exposed to the big world and what was lurking out there."
Miller said they eventually interviewed the father of one of the missing children, who said he last saw Ramos leaving with two men. At the time, he believed they were her cousins.
"He described one of the guys as male, Hispanic, brown hair, clean-shaven, about 6' tall, muscular," said Miller. "And the other gentleman he couldn't describe because he remained in the car."
Miller was told the group left in a red car and Jasmin's father never saw them again.
NEW DNA EVIDENCE
Miller was able to get the biological father’s DNA, in case it assists in connecting any dots related to the children’s DNA if any items are found or tested again.
Miller has also since been able to use new technology to piece together a DNA profile of a possible suspect from evidence found at the murder scene.
"We just got the results back last month in December," said Miller. "But we do now have DNA of a male contributor unidentified on [Ramos’] body that we know had to be tied to her murder. So, you know it's running through the database, but it hasn't come up with a tie to anyone yet. But if we can get DNA from anyone who is a possible suspect, now we have something to compare to who did kill her."
Miller believes that someone out there saw Ramos before she was killed.
"She was housed somewhere with two little girls," said Miller. "Like I said, she had to be living at somebody's residence or staying in an apartment building."
HOPING FOR A REUNION
Miller now believes Ramos might have been somewhere in Los Angeles, or San Bernadino County before she was killed in Arizona.
She said they have checked San Bernadino County and LA County to see if two girls were dropped off anywhere, but they haven't been able to find any records of that happening.
Miller encourages anyone who thinks they may have information to call. She said if anyone believes they may be Ramos' daughter, they can visit GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA. Miller said those sites have DNA from Ramos’ family and are monitored by the sheriff’s office.
"No piece of information is too small for me to follow up on," said Miller. "So, if somebody could just point out anything, any direction it will take us in, because we've exhausted everything so far."
Adding to the difficulty is the lack of pictures of the girls. Which, so far, has limited tools like creating age-progression photos.
Miller is still holding out hope that one day this case will end with a reunion.
"I don't know if I would even make a phone call, I think I might drive all the way to Bakersfield and knock on the door," said Miller. "Obviously, if that ever happened, I would start with a phone call, but there will be a meeting sometime, someplace. I pray that we all meet together, and we all come together."
Miller is looking into additional tests that can be run, like pollen tests, that could help lead her to where Ramos was before she was killed.
We will follow any breaks in the case here on Arizona Crime Uncovered.
Watch more episodes of Arizona Crime Uncovered in the player below:
