Life Sentence for Man Convicted in Tragic Double Homicide of Girlfriend and Her Daughter

A Texas man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the heinous murders of his girlfriend and her daughter, following a spree where he acted as if nothing had transpired.

Rene Mendez received a life sentence for the killings of 40-year-old Sylvia Ramos and her 19-year-old daughter, Brianna Ramos, as confirmed by the Webb County District Attorney’s Office. A jury found Mendez guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, and a judge handed down a sentence of life in prison without parole. The tragic incident came to light when Sylvia’s brother flagged down a Laredo police officer on March 6, 2023, urgently pleading for help after discovering the murder.

Police responded to the scene at 2601 Lomas Del Sur Blvd, where they discovered the two victims deceased inside the apartment. Sylvia’s brother informed officers that Mendez had been in a relationship with his sister. Later that day, authorities located Mendez at a nearby Motel 6 after a reported drug overdose. He survived the overdose and was subsequently arrested.

Investigations revealed that Mendez had stabbed Sylvia 55 times, primarily targeting her neck, and strangled Brianna to death. According to a courtroom report by the Laredo Morning Times, prosecutors detailed how Mendez first killed Brianna by strangling her in her bedroom.

Following the murder of Brianna, Mendez left the apartment to socialize with a friend. Testimony from the friend indicated that Mendez behaved as if nothing had occurred. He later returned to the apartment, awaited Sylvia’s return, and upon her arrival, attacked her with a pocket knife.

“He said he didn’t mean to do it, but he didn’t stop, and three minutes later he left the apartment, leaving Sylvia on the floor in her own blood while her daughter lay dead in her bedroom,” Assistant District Attorney Kassandra de Hoyos reportedly said during closing arguments.

Mendez stole his girlfriend’s bank card, withdrew $500 from her account and bought $100 worth of cocaine. Prosecutors said he proceeded to ingest 130 pills, cocaine and alcohol in a suicide attempt.

“Then he thought he was over. He didn’t expect to wake up, he didn’t expect someone to rescue him and be sitting in front of this jury,” de Hoyos reportedly said. “Don’t get it twisted, addiction was his motive, but addiction didn’t cause him to suffocate Brianna, addiction didn’t cause him to kill Sylvia with 55 stab wounds. It was that man over there.”