A man has been arrested in connection with the killing of a taxi driver from Danbury, Connecticut, whose body was discovered in a New York reservoir earlier this month. Santos Vasquez Ramirez, 28, of Pawling, New York, has been charged with Second Degree Murder and First Degree Robbery, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities say Vasquez Ramirez confessed to strangling and killing 66-year-old Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez over the fare.
Zhunio-Orbez was last seen on December 1 picking up a customer at the Metro-North train station in Brewster, New York. His taxi was later found abandoned in the parking lot of the nearby Purdy train station. Law enforcement officials collected fingerprints and DNA from the vehicle as part of the investigation.
On December 7, two men fishing in the Croton Falls Reservoir discovered Zhunio-Orbez’s body floating in the water. Sheriff Brian Hess said authorities recovered the victim’s cellphone near his body. Family members estimate that Zhunio-Orbez may have been carrying around $200 in cash at the time of his death.
Vasquez Ramirez was taken into custody Friday night outside his home in Pawling. A photo released by authorities showed him smiling as he was escorted by law enforcement. Sheriff Hess said the investigation relied on a comprehensive review of video surveillance, forensic evidence, and coordination with partner agencies. Investigators canvassed multiple surveillance systems and analyzed evidence that led to the suspect’s identification and arrest.
Forensic evidence, including blood and DNA, was recovered and submitted for testing, which remains ongoing. Authorities have said the investigation continues as they confirm details surrounding the events leading to Zhunio-Orbez’s death.
The arrest concludes a multi-day investigation into the tragic killing, bringing the suspect into custody and providing some clarity to the victim’s family, who are still processing the loss of the 66-year-old driver.
