TikTok Star’s Alleged Killer Is Illegal Immigrant: ‘No Right To Be Here’
An illegal immigrant residing in the U.S. allegedly murdered the missing Georgia TikTok star, Minelys Zoe Rodriguez-Ramirez, whose body was found near a Walmart.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations arrested Angel DeJesus Rivera-Sanchez, 24, in Atlanta on October 28 on kidnapping charges related to Rodriguez-Ramirez’s disappearance. They took Rivera-Sanchez to the Habersham County Detention Center, where he was booked on charges of kidnapping and murder.
Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman Sen. John Albers issued a statement on the 25-year-old’s death, strongly linking it to insufficient border security and calling for immediate federal action.
“It is with profound sadness and frustration that we mourn the senseless murder of Minelys Zoe Rodriguez-Ramirez,” Senator Albers said in a press release. “The suspected murderer, Angel DeJesus Rivera-Sanches, an illegal immigrant who had no right to be here, was apprehended in Atlanta as he tried to flee back to Mexico.“
Albers continued, “Once again, our open-border policies have claimed another innocent life on American soil, right here in Georgia. I commend the swift work of the Habersham Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and all agencies involved in apprehending this suspect. My colleagues in the Senate and I will remain unwavering in our commitment to securing our state and nation.”
“The suspected murderer, Angel DeJesus Rivera-Sanches, an illegal immigrant who had no right to be here, was apprehended in Atlanta as he tried to flee back to Mexico.”
Habersham County Sheriff’s Office
The senator said earlier this year, the community mourned Laken Riley’s tragic death, and now they will mourn Rodriguez-Ramirez.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, murdered Riley, a nursing student at Georgia in February.
Riley’s body was found in a wooded area near the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Police announced charges against Ibarra, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing a death in connection with Riley’s case.
Laken Riley (left) was found dead on Thursday at the University of Georgia campus. Jose Antonio Ibarra, pictured in his police mugshot on the right, has been charged with her murder.
Facebook/Clarke County Sheriff’s Office
Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch joined Albers in calling for immediate and stronger federal action on border control.
“Mimi followed the law, worked hard and raised a family here, yet her life was stolen by an illegal alien who had no right to be in this country,” Gooch said in a press release. “Enough is enough. We must protect our families, uphold the dignity of those who respect our laws and restore the security that every community deserves.”
What Happened?
Rodriguez-Ramirez, 25, visited a Walmart in Cornelia on October 22 to meet someone interested in buying one of her photos. She was last seen entering the store around 9:30 p.m., according to local news outlet Now Habersham.
The last reported text Rodriguez-Ramirez sent was to her fiancé, Julio Tovor, stating, “I’m waiting for the brother to pick him up.” When she didn’t return home from her Walmart trip, her family reported her missing on October 23.
Investigators discovered the remains of Minelys Zoe Rodriguez-Ramirez, a Georgia TikTok star, on October 29.
Habersham County Sheriff’s Office
“It didn’t make sense,” Tovor told Now Habersham. “She doesn’t talk like that.”
A week later, her body was discovered in a remote area near the Walmart by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations and Habersham County Sheriff’s Office. Her car was found parked just outside the Walmart lot, raising questions about whether she moved it herself or if it was relocated after her death.
While it remains unclear whether Rivera-Sanchez was the person buying the photo at Walmart or if it was a random attack, prosecutors will also charge him with murder in connection to Rodriguez-Ramirez’s death, according to the press release.
Newsweek contacted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which stated on Tuesday, “There are no new updates to report.”
Who is Minelys Zoe Rodriguez-Ramirez?
Minelys Zoe Rodriguez-Ramirez, known as “Mimi” to her friends and family, had over 40,000 followers on TikTok.
She was a mother to a 9-year-old daughter and moved to Georgia from Puerto Rico six years ago for a job opportunity. She accepted a position at a manufacturing company called Mount Vernon Mills Inc.
Minelys Zoe Rodriguez-Ramirez was a mother to a 9-year-old daughter and moved to Georgia from Puerto Rico six years ago for a job opportunity.
GoFundMe
Newsweek reached out to Mount Vernon Mills Inc., however, they have not yet responded.
Rodriguez-Ramirez’s family plans to return her body to the U.S. island territory for burial, as stated on their GoFundMe page.
“We are raising funds for funeral expenses to take her to Puerto Rico and give her a Christian burial on the island where she was born,” Carmen Ramirez, her mother, said on GoFundMe. “Thank you in advance. God bless you.”
Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com