Doniphan man arrested in connection with Poplar Bluff murder investigation

A Doniphan, Missouri, man was arrested Saturday in connection with a body found near the Black River in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, last week.

Authorities said Bryce Davis, 24, was the last of three people put behind bars in connection with the apparent murder of Salvador Ruiz Ramirez.

The other suspects are Curtis L. Walker, 29, of the 200 block of Sycamore Street in Poplar Bluff and Casey R. Marler, 32, of Williamsville, Missouri.

Davis initially was taken to the Doniphan Police Department for questioning, along with his girlfriend.

Davis' girlfriend, Popp said, gave officers permission to search their home for "anything that related to the burglary/homicide."

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and its Division of Drug and Crime Control made the arrest, and "then they called me to take a look at the residence for evidence," said Popp, who said the search wrapped up just before 5 p.m.

That was about the same time Davis was arriving at the Butler County Justice Center to be processed.

Already in jail Saturday were Walker and Marler, who were arrested around 6 p.m. Thursday when a highway patrol trooper stopped a suspected stolen car in Wright County.

Walker, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was arrested on a warrant for second-degree burglary, which alleged he burglarized Ramirez's home. Marler was arrested on multiple warrants.

The victim's body was found by a fisherman just before 8 a.m. Wednesday, submerged at the end of the boat ramp on the Black River at the Dan River access.

Authorities believed Ramirez, 48, who died of a gunshot wound, was killed late Oct. 21.

"We believe the motive for the killing was drug related, and that Walker owed the victim approximately $1,300 for a drug debt and decided to rob him and kill him to settle the debt," Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs said.

Based on the investigation by the Butler County/Poplar Bluff Major Case Squad, Dobbs said, officers "believe that Walker was definitely the shooter, and this was a planned event all the way.

Meanwhile, an Arkansas woman was charged Friday morning after she allegedly hindered Walker's apprehension.

Tia Lee Cornelius, 26, of Success, Arkansas, was charged with felony hindering prosecution.