The body of a missing Georgia mother and TikTok influencer was found near the Walmart where she was last spotted a week ago. Police have arrested a man in connection with her suspected abduction and murder. Her remains were located after an extensive multi-day search involving the FBI.
Minelys Zoe Rodriguez-Ramirez, 25, was last seen at the Walmart in Cornelia, Georgia, on October 22, with her final known message sent around 9:30 p.m., the Habersham County Sheriff's Office said. Angel DeJesus Rivera-Sanches, 24, was arrested on Monday, a day before the woman's body was found. She was identified by her distinctive tattoos, though they are still awaiting a complete autopsy.
Grim Discovery
Investigators have not provided a motive for why Rivera-Sanches allegedly killed the young mother, nor have they revealed the manner of her death. The last time Rodriguez-Ramirez's family heard from the 24-year-old was the night of October 22, when she went to Walmart to exchange a photo with an acquaintance.
A cashier said that Minelys entered Walmart around 9:30 p.m. that evening and was texting her fiancé, Julio Tovor, as he was going to sleep.
"I am waiting for the brother to pick him up," the message sent to Tovor read, Now Habersham News reported.
"It didn't make sense. She doesn't talk like that," Tovor told the outlet.
According to the outlet, Tovor shared that his fiancée had gone to Walmart to exchange a photo with an acquaintance.
Rodriguez-Ramirez, a devoted mother to her 9-year-old daughter, relocated to the US from Puerto Rico six years ago after receiving a job offer from the nearby manufacturer Mt. Vernon Hills Inc.
Her daughter later returned to Puerto Rico to live with her father, leaving Rodriguez-Ramirez separated from her. "Minelys talked about her daughter a lot. She treasured her daughter," Tovor said.
Death Shrouded in Mystery
When Tovor woke up the next morning without hearing from Rodriguez-Ramirez, he sensed something was wrong and contacted her mother. The family reported her missing on October 23.
Rodriguez-Ramirez, who shared a range of Spanish-language videos on TikTok, had distinctive tattoos covering her body, which were mentioned in a "BOLO" alert issued by the sheriff's office.
Her car was found five miles away on Hazel Creek Road, with witnesses nearby reporting they saw a dark SUV and a gold minivan in the vicinity of Rodriguez-Ramirez that night, according to Now Habersham News.
Remains believed to belong to Rodriguez-Ramirez were recovered in a "remote area" by the sheriff's department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, as reported by law enforcement and Fox 5 Atlanta.
While officials did not reveal the exact location where Rodriguez-Ramirez's body was found, Habersham County Coroner Kelsey McEntire indicated that the remains were located on Furniture Drive, according to 11 Alive.
This road runs parallel to the Walmart parking lot and is situated about 50 miles north of Athens, Georgia.
Angel DeJesus Rivera-Sanches has been booked into the Habersham County Detention Center but will also face murder charges related to Ramirez's death.
An autopsy is currently being performed on the remains, and no cause of death or motive has been revealed in the suspected murder of Rodriguez-Ramirez.
