Suvechha Sarkar
In September 2012, several hunters were hunting in Edwards County, Texas, when they discovered the remains of 27-year-old Inez Santa Cruz. Her untimely demise sent shockwaves through the community and left her loved ones completely heartbroken. The case is revisited on Investigation Discovery’s ‘On the Case With Paula Zahn: Caught in a Trap.’ It focuses on the investigation that helped detectives piece together the tragic events, ultimately unveiling a murder plot spun by someone closest to Inez. The episode also features detailed interviews with her family and the officials who tirelessly worked to solve the case.
Inez Santa Cruz Met Her Demise From Two Gunshot Wounds to Her Head
Rafael Santa Cruz and Maria Leticia Padilla welcomed their bundle of joy, Inez Santa Cruz, into their lives on February 13, 1985. She grew up in a supportive household, which was always filled with the laughter of her brother, Rafael Santa Cruz Jr., and sister, Erica Santa Cruz. According to Erica, Inez was a humble person with a kind heart. From a young age, Inez was quite athletic, which led her to join the basketball and volleyball teams at Nogales High School in Arizona. After graduating in 2003, she followed her passion to serve the country by joining the US Navy as a Naval Reservist. After Inez returned, she joined the University Health Science Center in Tucson, Arizona, as a Surgical Assistant.
Besides her professional endeavors, Inez possessed an adventurous spirit. By 2012, she had begun practicing rope twirling in preparation for an annual roping event. On September 2, 2012, a hunter, Mark Bauer, and his friend, Tommy, were hunting in Edwards County, Texas. Around noon, Tommy decided to visit Troy Ray Ryder at a neighboring campsite to check on him. When Tommy reached there, he was shocked to find the remains of a woman. After Mark joined, Troy claimed that he had found the woman like that. As officials rushed to the scene after the 911 call, they found the woman lying in a puddle of blood with a plastic bag over her head. They reportedly found that she had no clothing, and the items were scattered in nearby bushes.
Upon removing the bag, forensic experts discovered that the woman had been shot in the back of her head. They observed that the murder occurred at the location, and the remains weren’t there for very long. Investigators soon found a wallet, which helped them identify the remains as Inez’s. They noted that there were no signs of struggle, and a strong bleach smell was present at the scene, indicating the killer’s attempt to destroy evidence. According to the autopsy report, Inez was shot twice in the back of her head. It revealed that she was shot with a .22 caliber rifle, and her cause of death was determined to be the gunshot wounds. The toxicology report uncovered that Inez had benzodiazepines, an anti-anxiety medicine like Xanax, in her system.
Investigators Found a Different Truth About Inez and Rosa Medina’s Relationship
Initially, officials wondered how Inez was in Texas when she actually lived in Tucson, Arizona. According to reports, Erica told them that on that weekend, Inez had plans to meet with her friend, Rosa Yareli Medina. Inez reportedly had to help babysit Rosa’s two daughters while Rosa was at work. That was the reason Inez flew out to San Antonio on September 1, 2012. Official records state that when Rosa was questioned, she claimed that Inez had canceled the plan at the last minute and that she didn’t know Inez had arrived in Texas. Rosa reportedly showed the detectives the cancellation message from Rosa’s video from a concert on the night of September 1. Court records indicate that authorities learned Rosa had lived at Inez’s home for a short time during high school.
During that time, Rosa reportedly liked Inez, and they briefly had a romantic relationship before parting ways. However, both of them reportedly remained in touch and maintained their friendship. As investigators dug deeper, they discovered that Inez had boarded a plane from Tucson and arrived at the San Antonio Airport. Further records suggest that when they informed Rosa about Troy, who was present at the scene, she revealed that she worked as a dancer at an adult club when she met Troy three months prior. In her statements, she admitted to seeing Troy outside the club on a few occasions but insisted that their connection was platonic. As officials turned their focus to Troy, they discovered that on September 1, his friends observed that he didn’t have his hunting gear, even though he claimed he was there to hunt.
CCTV Footage and Digital Clues Implicated Rosa and Troy Ryder
Troy had reportedly brought a .22 caliber rifle, like the one that killed Inez. Further CCTV footage from San Antonio airport captured that Troy picked up the 27-year-old, and they were seen walking together to the parking lot. Moreover, the border patrol checkpoint photographed his vehicle, and the photo showed a woman with dark hair, resembling Inez, sitting beside him. On September 13, 2012, Troy was arrested and charged with capital murder. According to investigative reports, Troy eventually confessed that Rosa was the mastermind of the murder.
In his statements, Troy admitted he wanted a relationship with Rosa, but she allegedly told him that Inez was the only obstacle between them. As per official reports, he confessed that Rosa supplied him with what she believed was a deadly dose of Xanax. According to court records, Troy claimed that Rosa instructed him to crush them and spike Inez’s tea. He confessed that after he gave Inez the spiked drink, she lost consciousness, and he took her to his trailer at the hunting site.
Troy continued that after a short while, he found that Inez was awake. In his statements, he admitted that he then convinced her to call Rosa, following which he shot Inez. Digital forensic experts eventually uncovered deleted text messages from Inez on Rosa’s mobile phone, in which Inez informed her that she was boarding the plane. It reportedly contradicted Rosa’s claims that she didn’t know about Inez’s arrival. As per reports, they also recovered Rosa’s deleted web searches like “How to make untraceable calls” and “date rape drugs.” Rosa was ultimately arrested on June 29, 2020, and charged with first-degree murder.
Rosa and Troy Are Incarcerated at Separate Texas Prison Facilities Today
Following Troy’s arrest, he faced the possibility of getting a death sentence. However, he avoided it by confessing to the crime and agreeing to enter into a plea deal. He ultimately pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 75 years in prison on April 5, 2013. His parole eligibility date is set for September 12, 2042, with a projected release date of September 12, 2087. While Troy pleaded guilty to capital murder, Rosa consistently denied being the mastermind. The prosecution built a case claiming that Rosa was in a three-month relationship with Troy.
The prosecution reportedly emphasized that Rosa was the person who lured Inez to Texas. She also avoided a jury trial by entering a guilty plea in April 2022. She pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 years behind bars on April 5, 2022. Her parole eligibility date is scheduled for June 28, 2029, and her projected release date is June 28, 2038. As of writing, Rosa is serving her sentence at the William P. Hobby Unit Prison in Marlin, Texas. Troy is currently incarcerated at the Memorial Unit Prison in Rosharon, Texas.
