Gabriel Arrazola Perez spent years building relationships in St. Paul as the owner of a local barbershop, earning the respect and affection of countless customers who knew him as a trusted neighborhood fixture. On May 24, he left a gathering at a local brewery around 4 p.m., drawn away by a pin location sent to his phone via WhatsApp. He would never return home.
Background
The 44-year-old barbershop owner was remembered by the Twin Cities community as someone who touched many lives through his business and daily interactions. His disappearance went unnoticed until May 25, when a man walking his English bulldog near railroad tracks in St. Paul noticed the animal pulling toward something that had not been there the day before.
The man immediately called 911, and police discovered Arrazola Perez's body at the scene. An eyeglasses prescription and driver's license identified him. His red Subaru Crosstrek was found abandoned approximately half a mile from where his body lay.
"He was a beloved member of this community," said one regular customer who declined to give their name. "Everyone knew Gabriel. You could always count on him."
The Investigation
According to the criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime, investigators obtained phone records that revealed Arrazola Perez had called someone three times in the hours after leaving the brewery on May 24. That same person called him back at 6:34 p.m.
Surveillance video from the train tracks area showed two men walking together at 7:03 p.m., with Arrazola Perez's body becoming visible between 8:55 p.m. and 11:12 p.m. Police traced the cellphone number Arrazola Perez was contacting to the same location where he had been seen with another man.
A Speedway convenience store captured additional surveillance footage showing a man wearing clothing matching the individual seen with Arrazola Perez at the tracks. Officers tracked that person to his apartment, where Omar Andres Ramos Castro, 24, was arrested on June 4 and taken into custody for questioning.
Ramos Castro initially denied knowing Arrazola Perez beyond a single encounter when Arrazola Perez allegedly offered him work clearing construction debris from his home. After investigators confronted him with evidence placing him at the scene, his account shifted multiple times before he eventually admitted to an "encounter" at the train tracks.
"He claimed that Gabriel made unwanted sexual advances toward him, including allegedly reaching for his crotch," according to the complaint. "Ramos Castro stated he became filled with rage and felt he had to defend himself."
Ramos Castro admitted to stabbing Arrazola Perez with a pocketknife but could not recall how many times because he was so overwhelmed by anger, police said.
The medical examiner determined Arrazola Perez sustained defensive wounds in addition to stab injuries to his back, neck, chest, and abdomen. His large bowel was eviscerated, and fractures to three vertebrae in his neck and back were documented.
Ramos Castro has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held at the Ramsey County Jail on $2.5 million bond. He made his first court appearance on Monday.
Key Takeaways
- Gabriel Arrazola Perez, 44, was a well-known barbershop owner in St. Paul who vanished after leaving a brewery gathering on May 24
- Police say he received a WhatsApp pin location message before disappearing
- Omar Andres Ramos Castro, 24, was arrested June 4 and charged with second-degree murder
- Surveillance video allegedly placed both men together at the train tracks where Arrazola Perez's body was found
- The suspect admitted to stabbing Arrazola Perez but claimed self-defense, alleging unwanted sexual advances
- Arrazola Perez suffered defensive wounds plus stab injuries to multiple areas of his body
What's Next
Ramos Castro remains in Ramsey County Jail on $2.5 million bond as the case moves through the court system. His next scheduled court appearance will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed toward trial. Prosecutors have not yet indicated if they will pursue additional charges beyond second-degree murder, and defense attorneys have not publicly commented on the allegations.