BY ANDREAS YILMA
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
NAUGATUCK — The son of a borough mother who was slain 18 years ago and the rest of his family have just one question, why?
Sandra Ramos-Cuadrado
Sandra Ramos-Cuadrado, a 51-year-old Naugatuck woman, was stabbed to death in her home on Olive Street on Feb. 21, 2005. Borough detectives continue to investigate the case alongside the state Cold Case Unit and the State’s Attorney’s Office. The Naugatuck Police Department is offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator.
Daniel Ramos, Ramos-Cuadrado’s son, said after 18 years, the family just wants to know why this heartbreaking ordeal happened.
“Our mother left behind three sons,” Ramos said. “She now has four grandkids, three who have had to visit her at a cold cemetery their entire life.”
Police extended their condolences to her family and request the public’s assistance to identify the perpetrator.
Ramos said her memory continues to live on although she is no longer physically here. She is and was loved by all of those who were fortunate enough to be in her life, he added.
“Our family can only continue to pray for justice and hope that one day we can finally get an answer to the question that has haunted us for so long,” Ramos said.
Naugatuck Police Chief Colin McAllister said borough police receive leads from time to time that they continue to follow up on.
Detectives have interviewed numerous people, including people outside of Naugatuck as police follow up on any leads or additional evidence that might come up, McAllister said.
Gary Pelosi, inspector with the State’s Attorney’s Office, and Detective Andre Moutela look over the case files of murder victim Sandra Ramos-Cuadrado at the police station in Naugatuck Feb. 23.
Waterbury State’s Attorney Maureen T. Platt said the Naugatuck Police Department and the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office are “fully committed to providing the necessary resources and personnel in an attempt to solve the case and bring closure to the family.”
McAllister said as detectives investigate this cold case homicide investigation, they’re not limited by the boundaries of their jurisdiction.
“We’re going to wherever leads take us,” McAllister said. “Detectives have followed up on leads across the state, some cases outside of Connecticut but we’re not going to limit ourselves to anything here in Naugatuck.”
Detectives want to get justice for Ramos-Cuadrado and meet periodically and maintain consistent dialogue with the state Cold Case Unit and the State’s Attorney’s Office, McAllister said.
McAllister said the lead detective on the case, Naugatuck Detective Andre Moutela, is dedicated to this and wants to see an arrest and apprehension of the victim’s killer.
It’s a somber mark after 18 years but police still remains committed, McAllister said.
“There’s large amount of officers that originally were the investigators that have since retired but we’re still remaining in constant contact with those officers, feedback, questions, anything we have so it’s not like that there’s certainly been nothing that’s passed from anybody and lessen their commitment to solving this case,” McAllister said.
“We continue to honor her memory by working as hard as we can to try to bring her killer to justice.”
Should anyone have information on this investigation, police ask individuals to call the Naugatuck Police Department at 203-729-5222 or the Confidential Tip Line at 203-720-1010.
