Family of double murder victims speaks out on investigation

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Many questions remain unanswered for one Laredo family after losing two of their own in the first and second homicides of 2023.

The Ramos family is still picking up the pieces one week after mother and daughter, Sylvia Ramos and Brianna Ramos, were found dead inside their apartment.

Sylvia Ramos’s sister-in-law said the only right thing to do is to remember her as the great woman she was. ”I want my sister-in-law to be remembered as a hard worker, a very caring person, a very loving person. She had the biggest smile,” said Melissa Gomez.

Sylvia worked at a daycare where her family says children and parents loved her dearly.

19-year-old Brianna Ramos lived with her mother, Sylvia. Family members described her as a teenager full of energy. “She was loved by so many people. She was funny and outgoing. She had a beautiful smile just like her mother,” said Gomez.

The Ramos family is uneasy with the little information they say they have received about the investigation. They also say they’ve been unsuccessful in getting some of the victims’ belongings back. Gomez said, “we’ve been reaching out to the investigators and we have not heard back from them. We know the vehicle was picked up. We wanted to get some items that were in there that belonged to my niece and my sister-in-law, and nobody told us anything because they never answered us.”

KGNS reached out to the Laredo Police Department (LPD) concerning the protocol to update families. LPD said daily updates are not typical, especially if nothing has changed in the case.

The Ramos family wants to raise awareness about domestic violence prevention since they believe its the reason behind the deaths of their family members. “Don’t be scared to reach out for help because if my sister-in-law or my niece would’ve reached out for help, maybe this would’ve never happened,” said Gomez.

The suspect, Rene Mendez, has been charged with two counts of murder. He remains in the hospital under police custody after being found overdosed in a motel on the same day the women were found dead.

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