Authorities found 41-year-old Christelrose Angel Ramirez dead inside a barrel along I-45 in Houston on Dec. 10; investigators say she was shot in her sleep and placed in trash bags before being dumped. Her boyfriend, 48-year-old Jesus Varela, was arrested and charged with murder and additional counts including tampering with a human corpse; he is due in court Dec. 15. Ramirez’s family—who had not heard from her for 11 days—has started a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses and called her death a tragic act of domestic violence.
Woman's Body Found Dumped in Barrel Along Houston Highway; Boyfriend Charged With Murder
GoFundMe
Authorities discovered the body of 41-year-old Christelrose Angel Ramirez inside a barrel abandoned along Interstate 45 in Houston's Greenspoint area on the morning of Dec. 10. Investigators say Ramirez was shot while she slept, wrapped in trash bags, placed into a barrel and then dumped by the side of the highway.
Court records and arrest reports identify Ramirez’s boyfriend, 48-year-old Jesus Varela, as a suspect. Varela was arrested on Dec. 6 after law enforcement received information alleging a family member had been assaulted and coerced into helping hide the body.
Charges, Bond and Court Date
Varela has been charged with murder and faces additional counts including tampering with evidence — human corpse, assault of a family member and unlawful restraint. Online Harris County jail records list bond amounts of $200,000 for tampering with evidence, $40,000 for assault against a family member and $5,000 for unlawful restraint; no bond amount was listed for the murder charge. He is due to appear in court on Monday, Dec. 15.
Timeline and Investigation
Ramirez’s family said they had not heard from her for 11 days before her body was found. Court documents indicate investigators believe the killing occurred around Dec. 1. Police and prosecutors continue to investigate; the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office had not immediately provided additional comment.
GoFundMeChristelrose Angel Ramirez
Family Reaction and Memorial Fund
Ramirez’s father, Ricardo Ramirez, said he grew worried after his daughter stopped posting on social media and later faced the painful task of identifying her remains.
“She didn't deserve to die the way she did because she was a beautiful young lady. I mean, she had her life in front of her,” Ricardo told local media. “Right now, I feel anger, I feel depressed… I just cry every day. I cry in the morning, I cry at night.”
Relatives described Christelrose as a caring person who helped others. A GoFundMe created by a family member asks for donations to cover funeral expenses so she can be laid to rest next to her mother. The campaign and family describe the incident as a tragic act of domestic violence.
Support Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. Calls are toll-free, confidential and available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Reporting note: PEOPLE and other outlets cited local law enforcement records and family statements in compiling this account.
