Vasquez-Ramirez Admits To Murder Of Taxi Driver Found In Croton Falls Reservoir

BREWSTER, NY — The tragic case of a missing man whose body was discovered in a Hudson Valley lake, is one step nearer to closure.

Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced that 28-year-old Santos Vasquez-Ramirez, of Pawling, pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez, of Danbury.

Vasquez-Ramirez faces 21 years to life in state prison, when he is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26.

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Zhunio-Orbez was reported missing by his family to the Danbury Police Department on December 1.

Putnam County Sheriff's Office investigators, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, determined that Zhunio-Orbez, a taxi driver, picked up Vasquez-Ramirez near the Brewster Metro-North train station on December 1.

On December 5, Zhunio-Orbez's cab was found abandoned at the Purdy train station. His body was recovered from the Croton Falls Reservoir the following day.

Investigators soon identified Vasquez-Ramirez as a suspect and arrested him on December 12.

During arrest processing, Vasquez-Ramirez admitted to having a physical altercation with Zhunio-Orbez inside of his cab over a past unpaid fare, and to then killing Zhunio-Orbez.

"The collaboration among agencies in this investigation in tracking down video surveillance, license plate reader footage, witness accounts and other information, was phenomenal," DA Tendy said. "It was an around-the-clock effort on behalf of the entire Sheriff's Office to put together hundreds of puzzle pieces that ultimately led to Vasquez-Ramirez's arrest and plea of guilty. We hope that the hard work of all involved, and hearing Vasquez-Ramirez admit today, in open Court, to the murder of Aurelio Orbez provides some comfort to the family and friends of Mr. Orbez."

Authorities noted that Vasquez-Ramirez is in the US illegally. He has a prior arrest from August 2025 for DWI, but failed to appear in court, and a warrant was ordered.

The case was prosecuted by First Assistant DA Breanne Smith and Assistant DA Melissa Lynch.