Bethany, OK, police make arrest in Carina Saunders slaying case

Bethany police arrested Luis E. Ruiz, 37, on a murder complaint at 1 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release issued by the department. Police declined to comment further on the case Thursday.

Court records show Ruiz lived in southwest Oklahoma City.

Ruiz's younger brother, Jorge Ruiz, said his brother has been in and out of jail for the past six years on drug and vandalism charges.

“When he first started selling drugs he was broke,” Jorge Ruiz said. “But this past year I've seen him with new trucks. That's when he started getting more and more money so I guess he was in a drug ring.”

Jorge Ruiz said Luis Ruiz has been on drugs of all kinds since he was 16 or 17. The younger brother said he believes his older brother probably deals heroin.

“Since he moved out here from Texas, he's just been a wreck,” Jorge Ruiz said. He moved to Oklahoma about six years ago, the brother said.

Jorge Ruiz said he also believes his brother was involved with prostitutes.

Jorge Ruiz said his brother has three daughters with one woman, a son with another and possibly another child with a third woman. The older brother was a loner and usually kept his business to himself, Jorge Ruiz said.

Jorge Ruiz said he may have seen Luis Ruiz with Saunders. He said the photos of her looked similar to a white woman Luis used to hang out with, but he couldn't be sure it was her.

“We knew he was doing bad, but we didn't think it would get this far,” Jorge Ruiz said of Thursday's arrest.