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Arrest made in murder of Tucson police recruit as manhunt continues

By  and 
Crime and Public Safety
Published August 22, 2026 2:46 PM MST
Published August 22, 2026 2:46 PM MST

The Brief

    • An arrest was made in the murder of Tucson police recruit Carlos Ramirez, with 39-year-old Santiago Jorge Rogers taken into custody at a hotel.
    • Authorities are still actively searching for 33-year-old Alex James Barnett, who is wanted for the homicide and considered armed and dangerous.
    • The victim's 23-year-old fiancée, a corrections officer, was also shot during the incident and is expected to survive her injuries.

TUCSON, Ariz. - An arrest was made Saturday in connection to the murder of Tucson police recruit Carlos Ramirez. Meanwhile, officials are still searching for 33-year-old Alex James Barnett.

What we know:

The Pima County Sheriff's Department announced the arrest of 39-year-old Santiago Jorge Rogers. The regional SWAT team and the department's Fugitive Investigations Unit, with help from the FBI, executed a first-degree murder arrest warrant in the early morning hours of Aug. 22. 

Rogers was found at a Tucson hotel near Palo Verde Road and Irvington Road. He was arrested in connection with the homicide investigation, and booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex.

Manhunt Remains Ongoing:

Tucson officials are still searching for Alex James Barnett, a 33-year-old suspect wanted for the murder of Ramirez, a 23-year-old Tucson police recruit who was shot and killed inside his home on Aug. 19.  A Blue Alert was issued on the night of Aug. 20, describing the suspect as a bald man with distinctive arm tattoos.

Alex Barnett (PCSD)

Barnett was last seen wearing a red shirt and black leather vest, and was riding a maroon 2020 Harley-Davidson FLHXS motorcycle with Arizona license plate DA466. 

The backstory:

Ramirez's 23-year-old fiancée, a current Pima County Sheriff's Department corrections officer, was also shot, but is expected to survive.

Detectives have also issued surveillance video from Tucson showing two other possible suspects in the investigation. One was seen with Barnett at a Shell station on Valencia Road, and the other was seen exiting a vehicle believed to be involved near Palo Verde Road.

Related

Suspects sought in shooting of Tucson police recruit and his fiancée
article

Suspects sought in shooting of Tucson police recruit and his fiancée

Three suspects are on the loose after a Tucson police recruit was found shot to death early Wednesday morning, and his fiancée, a corrections officer, was wounded.

What you can do:

Barnett has a lengthy criminal history, including child abuse, theft and unlawful imprisonment, records show. Officials consider him armed and dangerous, and should not be approached.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911. Anonymous tips can be called into 88-CRIME.

Map of where Rogers was arrested.

The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Tucson Police Department and previous FOX 10 reports. 

Crime and Public SafetyTucsonNews