Pa. couple allegedly wrapped woman’s head in duct tape, stabbed her with scissors, poured salt on wounds

YORK, Pa. (TCD) -- A 31-year-old woman was arrested about two weeks after her husband was taken into custody for allegedly killing her mother by wrapping her head in tape and stabbing her with scissors.

According to the Northern York County Regional Police Department, on June 6, officers went to 79 South Main St. in Dover Borough after a woman called to report her neighbor asked her to contact the police. Officers arrived at the home and found William Torres Gautier, an adult female, and two small children. The woman "was observed to be signaling for help." As officers tried to speak with her, Gautier allegedly "intervened and pushed a section of wooden fence at officers, striking one of them."

Police arrested Torres Gautier following a "brief struggle" and he was booked into the York County Prison on charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault on law enforcement officers, terroristic threats, abuse of corpse, resisting arrest, and criminal mischief.

The woman told police her mother was inside the house and needed help. When police walked in, they found the victim, a 67-year-old woman, deceased in a bedroom upstairs.

On Friday, June 23, detectives took the victim’s daughter, Johana Ramos, into custody on charges of criminal homicide and conspiracy to commit criminal homicide.

The York County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Lourdes Ramos Baez and said she died from blunt force head and neck injuries with strangulation. Her manner of death was listed as homicide.

According to court documents cited by the York Daily Record, officers located Baez’s body face-down under a pile of clothes in her bedroom. Her face had reportedly been duct taped and there were coat hangers wrapped around her neck. Baez was stabbed in the back with scissors and had salt poured onto her wounds.

One of Ramos' friends reportedly contacted police and reported she confessed to helping Gautier kill Baez. Torres Gautier allegedly called her over to her mother’s room and said Baez "just won’t die," so he needed her assistance duct taping her head.

Ramos allegedly tried taping her mother’s head, but then Gautier kicked her out of the room.

Ramos' friend reportedly asked her what she would tell cops if they questioned her, and she allegedly said, "I will just tell them I was afraid of [Torres Gautier]."

The York Daily Record reports Ramos told police Torres Gautier was going "ballistic" the day Baez was killed, so she and her children ran outside.

MORE:

• Second Arrest in Dover Borough Homicide - Northern York County Regional Police Department
• Homicide in Dover Borough, 6/7/2023 - Northern York County Regional Police Department
• Public Information Release - York County Coroner's Office
• Police make second arrest, charge daughter in Lourdes Ramos Baez's killing in Dover - York Daily Record