Houston, Texas – Police found the body of a missing woman inside a barrel left by the side of a highway. The discovery happened on December 10, 2025, along Interstate 45 in the Greenspoint area of Houston.
The woman was Christelrose Angel Ramírez, age 41. Family reported her missing after 11 days with no contact or posts on social media.
Authorities say Ramírez was shot while she slept on December 1, 2025. Her body was then put in garbage bags and placed inside the barrel.
Police arrested her ex-partner, Jesús Varela, 48, on December 6, 2025. The two had been separated since 2019. Varela faces charges of murder, tampering with a human corpse, family violence assault, and unlawful restraint. He had a court date on December 15, 2025.
The case points to domestic violence. Family members say Ramírez suffered abuse for years.
Her father, Ricardo Ramírez, spoke to news stations. He said, “She didn’t deserve to die the way she did because she was a beautiful young woman. She had her whole life ahead of her.” He also said he feels anger and sadness, and cries every day.
Her aunt, Maggie Ramírez, said, “She didn’t deserve this. She helped the whole world. She helped strangers.”
A family member started a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral costs. The page calls this a tragic act of domestic violence.
The investigation by Harris County authorities is still ongoing.