On January 1, 2019, the Kern County Sheriff's Office began investigating the murder of Luciano Ramos, and the assault of another adult male, in the 8900 block of Hall Road in Lamont. Initially, two suspects were identified and arrested. Ricardo Tapia Jr. and Melissa Avila were taken into custody and are currently in court proceedings. Additional investigation led Detectives to identify a third suspect in the case. That person is 18-year-old Ricardo Tapia III. Tapia III is identified as a Hispanic male, weighing 150 pounds, standing 5' tall with brown hair and green eyes. An arrest warrant charging Tapia III with murder has been issued; however, Tapia III is still outstanding.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Tapia III is urged to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office at (661)861-3110 or the Secret Witness Line at (661)322-4040.
