St. Cloud Police are investigating a pair of suspicious deaths after officers discovered their bodies in a home Sunday morning while conducting a wellness check.
The incident is currently being investigated as a domestic murder-suicide, a police spokesperson said.
The bodies of Nereida Ramirez and her brother Frankie Ortiz, both in their 60s, were discovered in a mobile home in The Mark Mobile Home community near the intersection of 10th Street and U.S. 192. Officers were dispatched after a relative requested a check on the siblings, who police say lived together, had not been seen for several days.
Ramirez had visible stab or puncture wounds, police said, and was found "in a state of advanced decomposition," indicating she had died days before her discovery. Investigators believe Ortiz died by self-strangulation sometime after his sister's death.
"This is a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved, especially the family and neighbors of the deceased," said Police Chief Douglas Goerke. "While we are confident there is no ongoing threat to the community, we extend our deepest sympathies for the loss of these two lives."
This investigation is active and ongoing, police say.
