The San Diego Double Homicide: A Custody Dispute Turns Deadly
The San Diego Double Homicide: A Custody Dispute Turns Deadly
Ramses Morales and Princess Perez arrested in connection with the execution-style killings of Ruben Chavez and Evelyn Virgen, while three children sat in a nearby van
The Crime Scene
In the early morning hours of Monday, January 19, 2026, San Diego police responded to an anonymous tip that would uncover a gruesome double homicide. At approximately 12:26 a.m., officers arrived at the 100 block of 27th Street to find the bodies of 31-year-old Ruben Chavez and 28-year-old Evelyn Virgen, both victims of fatal gunshot wounds. Despite immediate life-saving efforts including CPR, neither victim could be revived.
But perhaps the most heartbreaking discovery came just feet from the bloodshed: three young children, all under the age of two, sat unharmed but abandoned in a parked van registered to Virgen. These were Virgen’s children—innocent witnesses to a tragedy that would leave them orphaned and traumatized.
The Suspects
Within hours, authorities had identified their suspects. Investigators determined that Chavez and Virgen had been embroiled in an ongoing dispute with Chavez’s ex-girlfriend, 25-year-old Princess Perez, and her current boyfriend, 21-year-old Ramses “Rex” Morales. Both Perez and Morales had been in the area when the shooting occurred but fled before police arrived.
Their escape was short-lived. At approximately 10:00 a.m. that same morning—less than ten hours after the killings—U.S. Border Patrol detained the couple at the San Ysidro Port of Entry as they attempted to re-enter the United States from Mexico.
The speed of their capture did little to ease the pain of a shattered family. Between them, Chavez and Virgen left behind nine children whose lives were irrevocably changed in a single night of violence.
The Legal Proceedings
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, both Morales and Perez appeared in court to face charges related to the murders. Morales pleaded not guilty to murder charges, while Perez entered a not guilty plea to accessory charges for allegedly driving Morales to Mexico following the killings.
But the charges extend beyond the two adult victims. Morales also faces three counts of child endangerment for the three toddlers left in the nearby van—children who prosecutors say were present during the execution of their mother and her boyfriend.
The case carries the potential for capital punishment. Deputy District Attorney Martin Doyle announced that prosecutors have filed two special circumstance allegations: multiple murders and the killing of a witness, specifically regarding Virgen’s death.
“It’s a complicated family situation,” Doyle told reporters. “The investigation’s ongoing as to everybody’s respective relationships.”
A Custody Battle Turns Deadly
Court records reveal the bitter dispute that may have fueled this tragedy. Chavez had been engaged in a custody battle with his ex-girlfriend Perez over their two children. While Chavez sought joint custody, court records show he had been granted only supervised visitation rights—a restriction that may have intensified tensions between the former couple.
What began as a legal fight over parental rights allegedly escalated into a calculated double homicide, with prosecutors suggesting that Virgen may have been targeted specifically to eliminate her as a witness.
The Aftermath
In the wake of the killings, family members launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the nine children left behind. The fundraiser’s description captures the devastating scope of the loss: “They leave behind nine children whose lives have been forever changed. Three of the youngest children were present at the time of the tragedy and will carry the trauma of that day for the rest of their lives.”
Both Morales and Perez are being held without bail as the investigation continues. Detectives are working to untangle the complex web of relationships that allegedly led to two murders and the potential destruction of multiple families.
Case Status
The investigation remains active, with homicide detectives continuing to piece together the events that led to the January 19 killings. While both suspects have entered not guilty pleas, prosecutors appear prepared to seek the maximum possible penalties, including the death penalty, should they secure convictions on the special circumstance allegations.
For the nine children left without parents and the three toddlers who witnessed what no child should ever see, the legal proceedings offer little comfort. Their healing—physical, emotional, and psychological—will take years, if not a lifetime.
This case is being actively investigated by the San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact San Diego Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.