Gustavo Ramos Moreno, a 40-year-old man from Laredo, Texas, was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. Born in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, he had been a long-time resident of Laredo. He is remembered as a family man, survived by his wife, Maribel C. Ramos, and their six children: Gustavo Angel Ramos, Kimberly Denise Arguijo, Damian Anthony Rios, Roel Alejandro Rios Jr., Randy Lee Rios, and Itzy Marie Rios. He was also a proud grandfather to seven grandchildren.
Gustavo came from a large, close-knit family, including his parents, Jose and Ana Maria Ramos, and his five siblings, Maria del Carmen Juarez, Jose Ramiro Ramos, Juan Carlos Ramos, Alma Gloria Requena, and Jovanna Valdez. His family described their loss as devastating.
The night of Saturday, October 24, 2026, turned tragic for the Ramos Moreno family. Shortly before 11:30 p.m., Gustavo and his older brother, 43-year-old Raúl Ramos Moreno, were outside a home in the 800 block of Main Street in the Pueblo Nuevo area, a community about 11 miles east of Laredo off State Highway 359. It was there that both brothers were shot. When Webb County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene, they found the two men with gunshot wounds. One of the brothers was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was rushed to a local hospital, where he died a short time later. Both Gustavo and Raúl were fathers, and their sudden deaths left their families reeling.
The Webb County Sheriff's Office quickly launched an investigation into the double homicide. They identified the suspect as Manuel de Jesús Cruz-Estudillo and issued a warrant for his arrest on double murder charges. Authorities publicly warned that Cruz-Estudillo was considered armed and dangerous and was believed to have been driving a Volkswagen Atlas SUV. Investigators did not rule out the possibility that he had fled across the border into Mexico and began coordinating with Mexican law enforcement agencies to locate him. The community was urged not to approach Cruz-Estudillo if they saw him but to contact the Sheriff's Office immediately.
Following the shooting, the Ramos Moreno family was faced with the emotional and financial burden of planning two funerals. They organized a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the unexpected expenses and also held a plate sale fundraiser on October 28 at a home on North Arkansas Avenue in Laredo. The family’s grief was immense as they prepared to say their final goodbyes to two of their own.
A visitation for Gustavo was held on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Hernandez, Lopez and Sons, Northside Chapels on San Bernardo Avenue, where a religious service took place that evening. A final religious service was held at the funeral home chapel the following morning, Saturday, October 31. Afterward, committal services and interment were held at the Memorial Gardens Cemetery on Texas State Highway 359, where Gustavo Ramos Moreno was laid to rest.
The search for the suspect continued, with authorities asking for the public's help. The Webb County Sheriff's Office provided phone numbers for their tip line, urging anyone with information on Manuel de Jesús Cruz-Estudillo's whereabouts to call (956) 415-2878 or (956) 523-4408. The case against Cruz-Estudillo is proceeding through the justice system following his eventual capture, bringing a measure of progress to a case that began with a sudden and violent loss for the Ramos Moreno family.
