Suspect Arrested For Carina Saunders Murder

An arrest was made Thursday for murder in the Carina Saunders case.  

After hundreds of hours of investigation by Bethany Police, officers arrested 37-year-old Luis Ruiz around 1 p.m. Thursday.

News 9 is told that officers initially picked up Ruiz on unrelated charges. Then information in the investigation led detectives to obtain an arrest warrant for the murder.

News 9 is also learning Ruiz has previously been arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Five other men could also be facing charges in connection to the murder. Four of the men, Alejandro Rojas, Jimmy Lee Massey, Francisco Gomez, and Luis Arturo Soto, are currently in jail on drug-related charges.

News 9 was the first to report a witness who came forward saying she was kidnapped and made to watch the torture and murder of Saunders as a threat to have the witness and other women cooperate with a drug and human trafficking ring.

Police are not sharing the details regarding the circumstances of Ruiz's arrest, but plan to present formal charges to the district attorney sometime next week.

More on the Carina Saunders case:

6/20/2012 Related Story: Investigators Follow New Lead In Saunders' Murder Case

6/15/2012 Related Story: State To Defense: Murder Charges Days Away In Saunders Case

6/15/2012 Related Story: Attorney: Murder Charges Could Be Filed In Slaying Of Carina Saunders

2/3/2012 Related Story: Documents Shed New Light On Carina Saunders' Murder

10/13/2011 Related Story: Body Found In Duffel Bag In Bethany Field