Charges: Man killed friend when he wouldn't lend him money


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SALT LAKE CITY — A man suspected of killing his childhood friend earlier this month because he allegedly wouldn't lend him money has been charged with murder.

Robert Carlos Munoz, 29, faces two first-degree felony charges of aggravated murder and aggravated robbery in addition to possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony.

Prosecutors say Munoz was in his garage, 1267 W. 900 South, with 27-year-old Michael Ramirez about 7:30 a.m. on April 5. Ramirez's mother said the two men grew up together.

Munoz asked Ramirez to loan him money and he reportedly said no, according to charging documents.

"Munoz stated he beat Michael with a large Taser/flashlight tool because Michael disrespected him and would not lend him any money, even though Michael had money in his pocket," charging documents state.

A witness told investigators that he heard Munoz say, "Why you being disrespectful" before hitting Ramirez, according to the charges. Ramirez did not attempt to fight back. After Ramirez was knocked to the ground, Munoz allegedly took the man's wallet from his pocket. He was reportedly carrying $1,400 that day, police said.


Munoz stated he beat Michael with a large Taser/flashlight tool because Michael disrespected him and would not lend him any money, even though Michael had money in his pocket.

–Charging documents


Munoz went into his house and told his mother to "go to the garage and see what happened to Michael," the charges state. He then left the house. Ramirez was dead when police arrived. An autopsy determined his injuries included multiple skull fractures and a broken jaw.

Investigators later served a search warrant on Munoz's room and found the tool allegedly used in the assault and a gun under his mattress, according to charging documents. Police also said they recovered Ramirez's empty wallet and clothes with blood on them.

Munoz has been in the Salt Lake County Jail since being arrested on April 14. He was charged on April 15 in 3rd District Court with robbery, a second-degree felony, and assault, a class B misdemeanor, for an incident that allegedly happened the day before Ramirez was killed.

In that incident, prosecutors say Munoz went to the house where his daughter and the mother of their child live. He and the mother began to fight. Munoz pushed the woman onto a bed, held her down while trying to bite her nose and later punched her in the face with a closed fist, according to charging documents.

For his murder charge, bail was set at $2.5 million.

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Pat Reavy

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