Pawling resident Santos Vasquez‑Ramirez, 28, has pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the killing of 66‑year‑old Danbury taxi driver Aurelio Zhunio‑Orbez, a case authorities say began with a dispute over an unpaid fare and ended with a body in the Croton Falls Reservoir. The plea, entered Thursday, June 18, 2026, leaves Vasquez‑Ramirez facing an indeterminate sentence expected to be 21 years to life, with sentencing set for Aug. 26, 2026.
The Putnam County District Attorney’s office announced the plea. According to Daily Voice, Vasquez‑Ramirez admitted his role during arrest processing and told investigators he dumped Zhunio‑Orbez’s body in the reservoir. The outlet reported that the agreement closes out a second degree murder case that drew intense attention across the Hudson Valley and into neighboring Connecticut.
How investigators connected the dots
Detectives pieced together Zhunio‑Orbez’s final fare by tracking his last known movements to the Brewster Metro‑North station on Dec. 1, where records show he dropped off a passenger. His livery cab later turned up abandoned at the Purdys train station, and fishermen discovered his body in the Croton Falls Reservoir days afterward, according to NBC New York. Investigators said they recovered his cellphone near the body and combed the cab for fingerprints and DNA as part of the homicide probe.
Arrest and evidence
Sheriff Brian Hess said the investigation pulled together surveillance footage, forensic testing and witness interviews before deputies zeroed in on Vasquez‑Ramirez. He was arrested outside his Pawling home on Dec. 12, authorities said. As ABC7 reported, Hess said Vasquez‑Ramirez eventually confessed, telling detectives the deadly encounter started with an argument over a cab fare.
Victim remembered
Zhunio‑Orbez, described by relatives and community members as a devoted father, longtime church leader and hardworking cab driver, was mourned at a December funeral and in online fundraisers his family created to help cover burial costs, News‑Times reported. Loved ones called him a gentle presence in Danbury’s immigrant community, and church members said his death has left a painful gap in the everyday help and rides he routinely provided.
Legal note
Vasquez‑Ramirez pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree under New York law, a charge that covers intentional killings and certain felony murders and can bring a long prison term or a life sentence. The elements of that offense are detailed in N.Y. Penal Law §125.25, which prosecutors cited in negotiating the plea.
What's next
Vasquez‑Ramirez remains in custody awaiting sentencing on Aug. 26, 2026. Under the plea deal, he is expected to receive an indeterminate term of 21 years to life in state prison, according to Daily Voice.
