Pubdate: Wed, 21 Feb 2001
Source: Austin American-Statesman (TX)
Copyright: 2001 Austin American-Statesman
Contact:  P. O. Box 670 Austin, Texas  78767
Fax: 512-445-3679
Website: http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/
Author: Jonathan Osborne and David Hafetz

SHERIFF REVEALS DETAILS OF FATAL RAID

Slain Deputy Keith Ruiz was shot during a by-the-book drug raid while 
looking for evidence that a Del Valle man was dealing drugs out of his 
mobile home, Travis County Sheriff Margo Frasier said Tuesday.

Five days after a routine operation turned into a deadly shootout, Frasier 
defended her department's actions, saying deputies had no choice but to 
attempt to break down Edwin Delamora's door in search of evidence.

"The reason we went to this man's house instead of arresting him away from 
his house is because we had very, very strong reasons to believe that the 
drugs were being stored at the house and packaged at the house," Frasier said.

According to court records filed Tuesday, deputies found what they were 
looking for after Ruiz's death Thursday night, seizing 39.6 grams of 
methamphetamine, about two ounces of marijuana and more than $2,000 in 
cash, plus an electronic scale and miniature resealable plastic bags -- 
paraphernalia Frasier said indicates Delamora was packaging drugs for sale.

"It was a significant amount (of drugs) . . . definitely more than personal 
use," Frasier said.

Investigators also seized a 9 mm handgun they believe was used to shoot 
Ruiz, 36, a decorated 12-year veteran who had volunteered for the 
assignment. According to court records, Delamora fired twice from inside 
the mobile home during the raid.

Delamora, 21, is being held without bail on a capital murder charge.

The Capital Area Drug Task Force had been investigating Delamora -- a 
professional painter and father of two -- for several weeks before 
obtaining a warrant to search his house on Feb. 15, Frasier said.

Two days before the raid, court records said, deputies found small plastic 
bags with trace amounts of methamphetamine in Delamora's trash. The task 
force also had confirmed with at least two sources that Delamora was 
selling the drug from his home, court records said.

But to make an arrest, the task force needed more evidence, Frasier said.

"In an ideal situation, you would be able to not ever have to enter 
somebody's home, not ever have to go to a situation where any other person 
is present, particularly children," she said. "We were aware that children 
were there, but unfortunately, he chose to store the drugs in the home 
where his children were."

The task force raid started about 9:30 Thursday night. After identifying 
themselves and receiving no answer, court records said, Ruiz and two other 
deputies attempted to break down Delamora's door with a ramming tool.

Ruiz was trying to pry open the door when Delamora broke a small 
diamond-shaped window in the door and fired through it, striking Ruiz in 
the shoulder and perforating his aorta, court records said.

Delamora then fired another shot, and Deputy Craig Smith returned fire as 
the other members of the task force drew back, court records said. Delamora 
surrendered soon after and was treated for a bullet wound to his right hand.

Ruiz, a father of three, died soon after at Brackenridge Hospital.

Delamora's wife, Kristie Delamora, has said that neither she nor her 
husband heard deputies identify themselves and that they thought they were 
being robbed. Delamora's lawyer, Leonard Martinez, said his client was only 
defending his home.

"My client feels terrible that someone died, he feels for the family, but 
he's absolutely firm he did not know there were police officers outside," 
Martinez said. "He was scared to death for the sake of his family. It was 
not his intention to shoot anyone, much less a police officer."

Frasier said that when she walked through Delamora's home the morning after 
the raid, she could easily hear voices outside the trailer. She said she 
believes Delamora knew law enforcement officers were outside when he fired.

"Officers want to be heard," Frasier said. "I'm not surprised that that's 
what (Kristie Delamora) said. That is the kind of thing that will be 
discussed, and that's maybe something a jury will decide."
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