LITTLEFIELD, Texas — This August marks 23 years since Angie Cruz was shot and killed while working the graveyard shift at the Jolly Roger’s convenience store, but the case could be reevaluated.
“We have looked at also possibly resubmitting certain types of evidence. A lot of technology has changed over the years,” said Sergeant Steve Farley with the Littlefield Police Department.
Farley said putting the spotlight on the case, until it’s closed, could help. “Sometimes it takes years and years and years for someone to finally feel the point to where I feel comfortable in talking about it,” he said.
On August 6, 1996, officials arrived to a grim crime scene in Littlefield.
“Officers responded and found Ms. Cruz laying on the floor of the convenience store. She was shot multiple times,” said Farley.
Cruz was still alive when police got there, and she was able to give a description of the suspects.
“Two Hispanic males driving a gold colored car that fit that description,” said Farley.
Alberto Sifuentes and Jesus Ramirez spent 12 years in prison before a Lamb County Grand Jury dropped their charges, freeing the two men.
“These two individuals were released. Not for the purposes that they were innocent, but for the purposes that they didn’t have proper representation,” said Farely.
The investigators had to start from scratch, but still have hope the murder case will be solved one day.
“The Texas Rangers just recently kind of shelved the case because there has been no new information in years and years and years,” said Farley, “Whether these guys were the one’s who did it, or they weren’t, or they didn’t do it. For the family and for Angie, there’s been no true justice in that since.”
