GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Ruby Garcia was just 25 years old when she was killed. Her body was found on US-131 in Grand Rapids. Wednesday, her alleged killer, Brandon Ortiz-Vite, was in court for a preliminary examination. He and Ruby are said to have been in a relationship.
On video talking with Michigan State Police, Brandon Ortiz-Vite admits to the crime.
“I’m turning myself in because I did a horrible crime,” Ortiz-Vite said.
Ortiz-Vite waived his Miranda rights, according to dash camera video of a conversation with MSP taken after Ruby was found dead. The video was shown in court. Ortiz-Vite also agreed to answer questions without a lawyer present.
He asks the MSP officer if he can be placed "in solitary" in jail, saying he was concerned for his safety.
"I've gotten word already that the victim's family wants to take justice in their own hands," Ortiz-Vite said in the video.
In court Wednesday, a medical examiner testified Ruby Garcia was shot four times. She also had what appeared to the medical examiner to be "defensive wounds."
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker brought forth half a dozen witnesses. One of them was the friend Ortiz-Vite was living with for around a year.
Chris Becker: "Did he have a gun in your apartment?"
Omar Zuniga: “Yeah, I was aware that he had one.”
Becker: “When did you become aware that he had a gun in your apartment?”
Zuniga: “About as soon as he moved in.”
A Kent County Sheriff's Office lieutenant testified he found the body lying in the road on 131, near the right-hand shoulder. The lieutenant was in the far left lane when he saw the body. He backed up on the freeway to block the area off.
“The body was face down. Next to the body was a cell phone. She was missing a shoe,” Lt. Mario Morey said.
Another witness testified he saw a red sporty car with its flashers on speeding down the freeway at around 11:30 at night the day Ruby was allegedly killed. The witness said he saw the car go over something the size of a curb.
All the evidence was enough for a judge to bind this case over to Circuit Court.
A detective also testified that Ortiz-Vite told officers his immigration status came up in an argument with Ruby Garcia, before her death.
Garcia reportedly wanted to end their relationship, and Ortiz-Vite didn't like that. While Ruby was driving Ortiz-Vite home, he told officers he grabbed the steering wheel multiple times.
The detective said Ruby had pulled over on the side of 131 and told Ortiz-Vite to get out of the car. Ortiz-Vite reportedly told Ruby he would rather be dropped off anywhere, mentioning the amount of law enforcement found on the freeways and that he was concerned they'd find him walking along the freeway and discover he was undocumented.
Garcia pulled out her phone, and Ortiz-Vite became very angry. That's when he allegedly fired at Ruby.
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