LANTANA, Fla. — A man has been arrested following a birthday celebration that turned deadly at a home in Lantana.
Oscar Munoz, 27, was arrested Tuesday and is being charged with in the January homicide of his uncle, Juan Ramirez, 49.
According to the arrest report, the Ramirez family had gone to a club in Hollywood, Florida, to celebrate a birthday. Those who went to the club included Ramirez, Munoz, who is Ramirez's nephew, and three other relatives.
Family members told police that while at the club, Munoz was "acting strange," noticing his eyes were rolling to the back of his head.
The arrest report states that once they got back to the Lantana home at around 5:30 a.m., four of the family members— including Ramirez and Munoz— were in a car talking when Ramirez told Munoz to be a "better person."
A witness said Munoz turned back quickly before hearing a loud bang, realizing that his Ramirez had been shot. The two witnesses inside the car managed to put Muroz in a headlock and drag him out of the vehicle, admitting to hitting and kicking Muroz before police arrived.
When one of the family members who was already inside the home ran outside and hugged Ramirez, they noticed he was already dead.
Once Boynton Beach Police responded to the scene, they observed a handgun and a bag of white, powdery substance outside the vehicle. A medical examiner later determined that Ramirez died from a gunshot wound to the head.
When questioned by police, Munoz said he had recently relapsed on Percocet but denied knowing the Ramirez family. He claimed he was beaten by Haitians while walking down the street and did not remember anything from the night Ramirez was killed.
Investigators later found Munoz’s DNA on the black Glock used in the shooting, along with texts, photos, and video evidence showing he knew Ramirez and had been at the club with him.
Munoz is being held in the Palm Beach County Jail and faces a charge of second-degree murder with a firearm. He is expected to make his first court appearance on Wednesday morning.
