Wednesday, July 14, 1999
Railroad killings suspect in custody
Sister worked out deal for surrender
BY MICHELLE KOIDIN
The Associated Press
EL PASO, Texas — Rafael Resendez-Ramirez, the Mexican drifter suspected of killing eight people as he made his way around the country hopping freight trains, turned himself in Tuesday in a deal brokered by his sister, surrendering on a bridge between Mexico and the United States.
Ending a six-week manhunt, the 39-year-old Resendez-Ramirez walked with a brother across the bridge to El Paso, where Texas Ranger Drew Carter arrested him.
“Carter told me that he extended his hand, they shook hands, and he handcuffed him. He was very pleasant, not aggressive,” said Bruce Casteel, commander of the Texas Rangers.
The tattoed ex-convict — who is charged with three murders and linked to five other slayings in Texas, Kentucky and Illinois — was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List and had been in Mexico for an undetermined amount of time, investigators said.
“I think that it's a big relief to everybody involved,” Ranger Carter said. “The law enforcement officers that are working the case, the victims' families, as well, and I suspect the fugitive himself and his family.”
The surrender agreement included assurances of family visits, a psychological evaluation and promises that Mr. Resendez-Ramirez would be safe in jail, Commander Casteel said. The agreement does not shield Mr. Resendez-Ramirez from the death penalty, Commander Casteel said.
Asked why Mr. Resendez-Ramirez would surrender to face the death penalty, the commander said: “I've been in this business a very long time, and I'm struggling to answer that myself right now.”
Victims' families also expressed relief that he was in custody.
“We're hoping that everybody can start sleeping again, because there have been a lot of people who were not sleeping well,” said the Rev. Ralph Lud wig, who took over as interim pastor at Weimar United Church of Christ after the Rev. Norman Sirnic and his wife, Karen, were killed in May.
The surrender ended an all-out hunt for Mr. Resendez-Ramirez, whose alleged crimes spread fear among those living near railroad tracks in the nation's midsection. All the victims were killed near tracks.
Mr. Resendez-Ramirez was taken to the El Paso County Jail and later flown to Houston, where he was to be arraigned.
At a court appearance in El Paso, a handcuffed and shackled Mr. Resendez-Ramirez wore dirty jeans, workboots and gold- rimmed glasses.
In court, he said nothing other than to tell the magistrate he had no questions.
Although Mr. Resendez-Ramirez is charged with murder in Kentucky and Illinois, he apparently will be tried first in Texas, Commander Casteel said.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers, including FBI agents, Border Patrol agents and railroad police, had participated in the search.
Freight railroads had stepped up security, searching trains and watching for drifters riding boxcars. Hispanics had complained of getting hostile looks from people along the rail lines.
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