Details revealed in case of 2 men accused of killing another man and asking victim's family for ransom

PHOENIX - Court documents we obtained show that people in Arizona who are allegedly in the country illegally are arrested in connection with a criminal incident that involved kidnapping, murder, and ransom requests to the victim's family members.

Here are the details in the case.

Who are the suspects?

According to court documents, 37-year-old Ofelio Quintero and 27-year-old Jose Rochin Ruiz were arrested on July 31 for the same case by Glendale Police.

Both Quintero and Ruiz, according to court documents, are Mexican nationals, and both suspects, according to court documents, admit to living in the United States illegally.

Who is the victim?

The victim was identified by Glendale Police as 24-year-old Luis Solano Pillado.

What happened?

Court documents for both Quintero and Ruiz paint a rather detailed picture on what Quintero and Ruiz allegedly did.

July 21

The victim, according to investigators, was somehow convicted by Ruiz to come to the apartment on this day.

"When [the victim] arrived, [Quintero and Ruiz] tied him up with a shirt and a black extension cord. They put him in [Quintero's] closet. They took photographs of him and videos while in the closet," read a portion of the court documents.

July 23

The victim, according to investigators, was kept at the apartment until this day, when they placed him in the trunk of his own car.

"[Quintero] got into the driver seat, and [Ruiz] got into the front passenger seat," read a portion of the court documents. "They drove north to Table Mesa Area. They got off the freeway and, on a side road, pulled [the victim] from the trunk. 

The two, according to police, convinced the victim to walk willingly by telling him that they were going to let him go.

"When they got away from the vehicle, [Ruiz] used the cord he was leading [the victim] away with and strangled him with it until he died," read a portion of the court documents. "They then left [[the victim's] body in the desert and returned to Phoenix.

The victim's body, according to court documents, was eventually found at the bottom of an embankment along Table Mesa Road, about 2.5 miles east of the I-17.

July 24

Ruiz, according to court documents, bought a new cell phone from a store on this day.

On the same day, investigators said the victim's brother, who lives in Mexico, began to receive texts and phone calls from a telephone number with a 480 area code. Area code 480 covers a portion of the Phoenix area.

"These messages and calls indicated that [the victim] was being held for ransom," read a portion of the court documents. "The suspect demanded 300,000 Pesos for the victim's release. The suspect also indicated if the ransom was not paid, [the victim] would be murdered."

300,000 Mexican Pesos, according to exchange rates that are current as of Aug. 1, amounts to approximately US$17,766.13.

July 25

The suspects' telephone, according to court documents, sent a video message that showed the victim, who was bound and gagged, seated in what detectives describe as a walk-in closet.

"In this video, [the victim], who is speaking Spanish, tells his parents that he loves them and asks that the money is paid for his release," read a portion of the court documents.

Police were also notified by family and friends about the victim's kidnapping on this day.

A second video was sent during the evening hours, according to police.

The video, according to police, also shows the victim in what appeared to be the same walk-in closet as the first video. The victim was bound with electrical cord and fabric, and had a ski mask over his head.

"The alleged kidnapper lifted the ski mask. [The victim] again told his family he loved them and asked for the ransom to be paid," read a portion of the court documents.

Detectives, according to court documents, were also sent a video recording that shows a phone call between the suspects and the victim's brother.

"[The victim's brother] told the suspect that they were unable to get the money," read a portion of the court documents. "The suspect responded that they would give them until midday [on July 26]."

July 26

The victim's family, according to police, received a call from the suspect's telephone number during the evening hours.

"Similar demands were made, as well as threats to kill the victim. When the family asked for proof of the victim still being alive, the suspects refused to comply with this request," read a portion of the court documents. "The suspects advised they would be calling [on July 27 at 10:00 a.m."

July 27

The suspects, according to investigators, made the phone call they said they would make. Similar ransom demands, as well as threats of death to the victim, were made.

"After several requests by the family for proof of life, the suspect telephone number sent a four-second video showing the victim, still tailed up, seated in a chair," read a portion of the court documents. "The victim does not say anything in this video, The video abruptly begins and abruptly ends, as if this short portion had been cut out of a longer video."

July 28

Court documents state phone calls similar in nature to previous calls were still being placed to the victim's family by the suspects.

The victim's car, according to investigators, became mobile at 3:00 p.m., and the car was later seen being dropped off at a scrap yard near 44th Avenue and Broadway Road. The car, according to police, was being driven by a man who was otherwise not connected to the case. The man, who was only identified as a witness in court documents, said he buys and sells cars, and he paid $100 for the car, after he was contacted by another person.

That person who contacted the witness was ultimately identified as Quintero, according to investigators. Both Quintero and Ruiz were arrested.

When Ruiz was arrested, officials say the victim's bank card was found inside a wallet that Ruiz was carrying. Inside the apartment, a suitcase containing a gold-colored necklace with a unique medallion that the victim was seen wearing in some of the recordings was also found. 

What happened after the suspects were arrested?

Investigators say during an interview that was conducted after the suspects were read their Miranda rights, Quintero, after initially denying that he knew the victim, eventually claimed that the victim had robbed Ruiz while they were still in Mexico.

"When they came to the United States, [Ruiz] came up with a plan to get his money back from [the victim]," read a portion of the court documents. "[Ruiz] told [Quintero] that if [Quintero] assisted him, [Ruiz] would give him half of the money they earned."

Ruiz, however, told detectives he and the victim had no ill will towards each other, and that the victim did not owe him money. Ruiz also claimed Quintero threatened to harm or kill his family in Mexico if he did not assist Quintero.

Ruiz, investigators state, also denied, among other things, harming the victim, as well as denying that he headed north in the victim's car with Quintero and the victim.

Quintero, according to court documents, later led detectives to the victim's body.

"The positive confirmation of this body being [the victim] is still pending," read a portion of the court documents.

What happens now?

According to court documents, Both Quintero and Ruiz are accused of 1st Degree Murder and Kidnapping.

A $3.5 million bond was set for Quintero and Ruiz, according to officials. Authorities requested a high bond amount because both have ties to Mexico and an ability to travel there, which represents a significant flight risk.

"Additionally, the release of these individuals may place [the victim's family] in grave danger," read a portion of the court documents.

Preliminary hearings for Quintero and Ruiz are set for Aug. 10.