On a November evening in Holland, Michigan, the life of 33-year-old Cassandra Casares, a Hispanic female, was tragically cut short in a burst of gunfire. The incident unfolded in the parking lot of the Moran Park Church on November 6, 2023. Casares, accompanied by her 34-year-old male cousin, had arrived in a vehicle and parked alongside another car. An altercation ensued between the occupants of the two vehicles, which escalated to shots being fired.
Following the shooting, Casares and her cousin, who was also wounded, drove to a nearby hospital. Despite their efforts to seek immediate medical attention, Casares succumbed to her injuries. Her cousin was hospitalized and survived. A mother of two, Cassandra Casares was remembered by loved ones as a vibrant and joyful woman who cherished her family.
In the days following the shooting, the Holland Department of Public Safety identified 27-year-old Ramses Avimael Velasco Sanabria as the suspect. A warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of homicide, and he is also accused of injuring Casares's cousin. Sanabria is described as a resident of West Olive, and at the time of the incident, an initial description of the suspect was a heavy-set Hispanic male, approximately 40 years old, with a dark complexion, wearing all black clothing.
Despite the ongoing investigation and a reward offered for information leading to his capture, Ramses Avimael Velasco Sanabria remains at large. Authorities have cautioned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The motive for the shooting has not been publicly disclosed by law enforcement. As of late 2025, there have been no reports of his arrest, and the case remains a painful and unresolved chapter for the family and friends of Cassandra Casares.
