Beloved barbershop owner left party to meet someone after getting a mysterious message on WhatsApp and never came home: Police

A shocking murder case in Minnesota has left a community grieving after a respected barbershop owner allegedly was lured to a secluded location through a WhatsApp message and killed. Authorities say the victim left a social gathering after receiving communication from a man he had been trying to contact and never returned home. Police later discovered his body near railroad tracks, leading to a homicide investigation that resulted in an arrest.

Community Mourns Popular Barbershop Owner Gabriel Arrazola Perez

The victim was identified as 44-year-old Gabriel Arrazola Perez, a well-known and beloved barbershop owner in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Friends, family members, and customers described him as a valued member of the local community whose sudden death came as a devastating shock.

Authorities said Perez was last seen alive on May 24 while attending a gathering at a local brewery with friends and relatives. According to investigators, everything appeared normal during the event. However, at some point during the afternoon and evening, he left the gathering after receiving communications connected to a person he had been attempting to reach. He never returned home and no one heard from him again.

Discovery of the Body Near Railroad Tracks

The investigation began on May 25 when a local resident was walking his English bulldog near railroad tracks in St. Paul. The dog reportedly began pulling toward an area near the tracks, leading the owner to discover a body. The witness immediately called emergency services. He informed police that the body had not been present when he had been in the area the previous day.

When officers arrived, they located a pair of prescription eyeglasses and a driver’s license that identified the deceased as Perez. Investigators also discovered his Subaru Crosstrek parked approximately half a mile from where the body was found.

The circumstances surrounding the death quickly raised suspicions, prompting detectives to launch a homicide investigation.

Phone Records Reveal Critical Clues

As investigators attempted to reconstruct Perez’s final hours, they obtained his cellphone records. The records showed that after leaving the brewery gathering, Perez repeatedly attempted to contact a specific individual. Police determined that Perez made three calls to the same person before eventually receiving a return call at approximately 6:34 p.m.

The discovery provided detectives with one of the first significant leads in the case. Investigators began examining the relationship between Perez and the person he had been contacting, believing the communications could explain why Perez traveled to the isolated location where he was later found dead.

Surveillance Footage Places Victim With Another Man

Authorities reviewed surveillance video from the area surrounding the railroad tracks. The footage proved crucial to the investigation.

According to police, video showed Perez walking near the tracks with another man at approximately 7:03 p.m. on May 24. Investigators later observed that Perez’s body became visible on surveillance footage sometime between 8:55 p.m. and 11:12 p.m. After reviewing multiple recordings, detectives concluded that the victim had been at the location with another individual shortly before his death.

Cellphone location data further strengthened the case. Investigators determined that the cellphone number Perez had been contacting was present at the same location before, during, and after the alleged murder.

WhatsApp Location Pin Led Victim to Meeting Spot

One of the most significant developments came after police recovered Perez’s cellphone with assistance from a K-9 unit.

Investigators found that fingerprints on the phone did not belong to Perez. A forensic examination of the device also revealed that the person Perez had been communicating with had sent him a location pin through WhatsApp. The location shared in the message was close to where Perez’s body was ultimately discovered.

Police believe this WhatsApp location message played a key role in bringing Perez to the remote area where the fatal encounter occurred. The revelation transformed the investigation from a suspicious death inquiry into a case involving an apparent planned meeting.

Suspect Identified Through Video and Digital Evidence

Detectives expanded their investigation by examining additional surveillance footage from nearby businesses. Video obtained from a Speedway convenience store showed a man wearing clothing matching the individual seen with Perez near the railroad tracks.

The man was eventually identified as 24-year-old Omar Andres Ramos Castro. Investigators tracked him to an apartment where he was arrested on June 4. Following his arrest, he was taken to a police station and interviewed with the assistance of a translator.

Suspect’s Story Changed Multiple Times

According to court documents, Ramos Castro initially denied having any significant relationship with Perez. He allegedly told investigators that he had only met the barbershop owner once when Perez offered him work helping clear construction debris from a property.

As questioning continued, police say his account changed several times.

He later admitted receiving phone calls from Perez inviting him to eat food or smoke marijuana together. However, he continued denying being present at the railroad tracks on the day of the killing. Investigators confronted him with cellphone data, surveillance footage, and other evidence placing him at the scene.

After additional questioning, Ramos Castro acknowledged that he had been with Perez at the tracks. He first claimed that other individuals had been present and that he left Perez alone. Police say that explanation also changed as the interview progressed.

Alleged Confession to Fatal Stabbing

According to investigators, Ramos Castro eventually admitted that he and Perez had an encounter at the railroad tracks.

Police said the suspect claimed Perez made unwanted sexual advances toward him and allegedly attempted to touch him inappropriately. Ramos Castro reportedly told detectives that he became enraged and felt he needed to defend himself.

Authorities say he admitted stabbing Perez with a pocketknife but claimed he could not remember exactly how many times because he was overwhelmed with anger.

Investigators did not indicate that they accepted the suspect’s explanation as justification for the killing, and prosecutors proceeded with murder charges.

Medical Examiner Details Brutal Injuries

The medical examiner’s findings painted a disturbing picture of the violence inflicted upon Perez.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim suffered multiple stab wounds to his neck, back, chest, and abdomen. He also sustained numerous defensive wounds, indicating that he attempted to fight off the attack.

Investigators reported that one of the injuries caused the victim’s large bowel to become eviscerated. Additional stab wounds were severe enough to fracture three vertebrae in his neck and back. The extensive injuries ultimately led authorities to classify the death as a homicide.

Murder Charge Filed Against Suspect

Following the investigation, prosecutors charged Ramos Castro with second-degree murder. Authorities announced that he was being held in the Ramsey County Jail on a bond of $2.5 million. Court records indicate that his first appearance before a judge was scheduled shortly after the filing of charges.

The criminal case is expected to focus heavily on the digital evidence collected by investigators, including cellphone records, WhatsApp communications, location data, surveillance footage, and statements made by the suspect during questioning.

A Community Seeks Answers

The death of Gabriel Arrazola Perez has deeply affected family members, friends, customers, and community members who knew him through his barbershop and personal relationships. What began as a routine social gathering ended in tragedy after a message sent through WhatsApp led him to a meeting that police believe ultimately cost him his life.

As the murder case moves through the court system, investigators and prosecutors continue working to establish the complete sequence of events that unfolded during Perez’s final hours. For those who knew him, the focus remains on seeking justice for a respected business owner whose life was cut short under violent circumstances.