Mother of murder suspect fears for daughter’s life
The mother of a woman accused in a Callaway County killing said Wednesday that she fears for her daughter’s life.
“I’m so afraid she’s going to die,” said Angela Ricketts, mother mother of Emily Ricketts.
Emily Ricketts and Ruben Cabrera were charged last week in the shooting death of Lauro Garza-Perez, who was found dead from a gunshot wound Jan. 6 in the parking lot of a business near the Callaway-Boone County line. Ricketts is charged with first-degree murder and Cabrera faces charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Prosecutors allege Ricketts rode with Garza-Perez to the crime scene before driving Cabrera away from the scene. A probable cause statement filed in the case said Ricketts is dating Cabrera. Cabrera admitted to Ricketts’ family that he shot Garza-Perez, but said he did so because Garza-Perez had threatened his family in Mexico, according to the statement.
Angela Ricketts said Cabrera abuses her daughter.
“There is so many stories I’ve heard of him hurting my daughter,” she said.
The probable cause statement said Emily Ricketts was seen on surveillance video buying 100 rounds of ammunition at a local store. But Angela Ricketts said her daughter might not have realized she was buying ammunition that would be used in a killing.
“It was not uncommon for her to buy ammunition,” Angela Ricketts said. “She liked to shoot guns. They would go target shooting.”
Angela Ricketts said she believes Cabrera could be using her daughter to buy things for him, or that she could be a “pawn” for either Cabrera or law enforcement. Investigators say Emily Ricketts was seen on camera purchasing five cans of black paint after the murder, which was used to paint Cabrera’s car. Angela Ricketts said she thinks Cabrera made her do it.
The statement filed in the case said Emily Ricketts told her family she was going on the run with Cabrera and that investigators tracked a phone she used to an apartment in Indianapolis.
The two are still at large and the Callaway County Sheriff’s Office said they should be considered armed and dangerous.
Cabrera has warrants for his arrest in Florida and Utah. He has been deported to Mexico mutliple times, the court documents said.
