Friends of Tucson police recruit Carlos Ramirez and his wounded fiancée, a Pima County corrections officer, are rallying to raise money for their family in the aftermath of a fatal shooting.
Ramirez, 23, was found dead inside the couple's home south of Camino Verde and Valencia roads shortly before 6 a.m. on Aug. 19. His fiancée, also a 23-year-old, was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening and was in stable condition, according to the Pima County Sheriff's Department.
The fatal shooting remained under investigation, said Kevin Adger, a spokesperson for the Sheriff's Department.
The Sheriff's Department was the lead investigating agency in the case, Adger said.
Detectives were searching for two men and a gray SUV believed
to be a 2007-13 Acura MDX. That vehicle was found in a Tucson parking lot near south Palo Verde Road and East 33rd Street on Aug. 20, the department announced through its X account.
Investigators continued to search for suspects in the case, the post read.
A GoFundMe fundraiser was organized by Brynn Perez, who said she worked closely with the wounded fiancée and identified herself as a corrections sergeant.
"An absolute tragedy has occurred within our family," she wrote in the description.
Perez pleaded with the public to consider donating, "as this is going to be very hard for them" and asked for prayers, the fundraiser description read. She wrote she organized the fundraiser so the wounded fiancée had "one less thing to worry about during this tragedy."
The GoFundMe had raised over $9,000 as of 2 p.m. on Aug. 20.
The Ramirez family asked for privacy and declined interviews, he said.
Who are the Tucson couple killed and wounded in the Aug. 19 shooting?
Ramirez previously worked as a corrections officer for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. The Arizona Republic's public employee salary database showed Ramirez was hired as a corrections officer in July 2023.
He was a member of the Tucson Police Department’s Basic Recruit Class 26-1 and had completed 23 weeks of training at the Southern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Center. He was set to graduate from the police academy on Aug. 27, Tucson police Officer Frank Magos said in a department statement.
Ramirez and his fiancée lived together and had a young child, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said.
The couple had purchased a home in April 2025 in the Star Valley residential community, Pima County Recorder's Office documents showed.
The fiancée, who has not been publicly identified, is a 23-year-old woman who worked as a Pima County corrections officer.
She was hired in August 2023, The Republic's salary database showed.
Nanos said on Aug. 19 that detectives planned to interview her as soon as possible.
Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto called Ramirez’s death a “tremendous loss” for the community and the department. She said Tucson police were supporting Ramirez’s family, academy classmates and staff while helping the Sheriff’s Department with the investigation.
Have investigators found the suspect?
Officials had not said whether there were signs of a break-in or what happened before the shooting.
Detectives were searching for two men who wore black clothing and ski masks, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
The men may have been traveling in a gray SUV believed to be a 2007-13 Acura MDX. Investigators said the SUV may be missing its fuel door. The department released two surveillance images of the vehicle.
The vehicle was found abandoned in a Tucson parking lot on Aug. 20. Investigators thanked the public's assistance in locating the car.
Neither suspect had been identified.
Officials have not said what led to the shooting or whether the victims knew the people detectives were seeking. Suspects in the case remained outstanding as of Aug. 20.
Anyone with information about the shooting, the suspects or the gray SUV was asked to call 911.
Reporters Helen Rummel and Rey Covarrubias Jr. contributed to this article.
Have a news tip? Contact The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com at newstips@arizonarepublic.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Friends raise funds after Tucson police recruit killed, fiancée hurt
