By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The first suspect identified in the murder of a Tucson Police recruit appeared in court early Tuesday, Aug. 25, and Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos spoke out to dispel online rumors about the case.
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A judge ordered Alex James Barnett, 33, to be held without bond on charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and aggravated assault. A no-bond hearing was set for Aug. 31, while a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Sept. 1. Video of his court appear
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
- PCSD: Alex Barnett in custody for Tucson Police recruit’s murder
- Law enforcement community reacts to murder of Tucson Police recruit
- Pima County Sheriff Nanos discusses murder of Tucson Police recruit
- Local foundation rallies support for TPD recruit killed in shooting
- PCSD, SWAT at home in connection to TPD recruit’s murder
Barnett was arrested late Monday, Aug. 24, following a three-hour standoff at Desert Atrium, an apartment complex near Camino Seco and Broadway in Tucson.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department told 13 News’ Mary Coleman that SWAT was there to serve a warrant in connection with the fatal home invasion last week.
Tucson Police recruit Carlos Ramirez was found shot to death in his home in the 7700 block of South Enchanted Spring Drive early on Aug. 19. Ramirez’s pregnant fiancée, a PCSD corrections officer, was shot in the shoulder, but she and her child survived.
According to court records, Barnett has a long and violent criminal history in Pima County. He has been in and out of prison over the last decade and was most recently released in late 2025.
- In 2012, he was sentenced for child abuse, theft, and drug possession.
- In 2013, he was convicted of theft and credit card fraud.
- In 2021, he was convicted of vehicle theft, weapons misconduct, burglary, and identity theft.
- In 2024, he was convicted of unlawful imprisonment.
NANOS DISPELS RUMORS
On Tuesday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos spoke to 13 News’ Payton May to dispel several rumors about the case.
Pima County Deputy’s Organization President Aaron Cross, who has long been critical of Nanos, claimed Barnett’s arrest could have happened sooner.
Cross said detectives allegedly spotted Barnett at a home last Thursday, one day after the shooting, and requested to contain him until SWAT arrived. He said that request was denied due to a lack of probable cause.
“If you have a positive identification of a homicide suspect at a home, you contain the home and then get the search warrant or arrest warrant and get the suspect into custody,” Cross said. “The decision that senior command made is really inexplicable and unacceptable.”
Nanos said he stands behind the decisions his team made.
“Alex Barnett has been wanted since day one, so I guess he was fleeing the scene everywhere,” Nanos said. “We were searching for him, we’d locate him, we’d make assessments as to what the best strategy is to take him into custody, and that you saw was last night.”
During the standoff Monday night, a woman who claimed to be Barnett’s sister went online and made several allegations. She claimed that Barnett was in a relationship with Ramirez’s fiancée, that the child may be Barnett’s, and that both Ramirez and his fiancée were involved in selling drugs.
“To make accusations about a case they know nothing about, that is just shameful,” Nanos said.
Nanos said there is no truth to those claims and still believes the home invasion was a drug-involved robbery where the suspects simply got the wrong home.
“This was a drug-rip, and these two have nothing to do with it,” Nanos said. “They hit the wrong house; it’s just that simple.”
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OTHER SUSPECTS
There were two other suspects in Ramirez’s death.
The first, 39-year-old Santiago Jorge Rogers, was arrested at a hotel near the 4800 block of South Palo Verde Road on Aug. 22. He was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault, and armed robbery. A judge ordered him to be held without bond.
Rogers also has a criminal history in Arizona, including an active assault case in Pima County. He has several previous convictions — weapons misconduct in Pima County in 2007, shoplifting, drug possession in Yavapai County in 2018, promotion of prison contraband in Gramhan County in 2021, and attempted promotion of prison contraband in Navajo County in 2022.
A third man, who has not been named, was also wanted in connection with the shooting.
The PCSD said he was spotted dumping the suspect’s vehicle hours after the incident. Nanos said the man willingly provided a statement to PCSD, and investigators are still working to determine his involvement in the homicide.
COURT DOCUMENTS
According to the interim complaint, Ramirez’s fiancée told investigators that she heard banging from outside their bedroom before Ramirez came in and yelled at her to get a gun from their safe.
Ramirez allegedly told her that two masked men were in the home. She said the suspect had dark clothing with “balaclava-style face coverings and tattoos on their arms.”
Ramirez allegedly fought with the masked men before a gun went off and Ramirez was shot.
Surveillance video captured the suspect’s vehicle, a dark 2007-2012 Acura SUV, leaving the scene.
The PCSD released video from a gas station at 5405 West Valencia Road, around three miles from the crime scene, that showed Barnett and Rogers shopping minutes before the fatal shooting. According to court documents, the men bought three hats and dark gloves.
The Acura was later found dumped in a parking lot near Palo Verde and 33rd Street, about a 30-minute drive from the scene of the shooting.
The PCSD also released video that appears to show the third suspect, the one who has not been arrested or named, dumping the vehicle and wiping it down before walking away.
According to the interim complaint, there was no known connection between Ramirez and his fiancée and either Barnett or Rogers.
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