UFC star Cub Swanson thanks police after arrests in murder of local jiu-jitsu instructor
UFC star Cub Swanson reacted to the news of an arrest made in the 2018 murder of beloved local jiu-jitsu instructor Ramon Diaz.
"I want to thank the local police for not giving up on this case. So many people have been needing closure on Professor Diaz's murder," Swanson wrote on Instagram Wednesday.
Diaz, 47, was killed in his driveway on Whispering Palms Trail in Cathedral City on March 28, 2018. Security cameras show a suspect running to a getaway vehicle shortly after the shooting.
The case was thought to have gone cold after years of the community's efforts to search for answers. That was until Tuesday when police announced two men were in custody in connection with the murder.
Diaz was the owner of Palm Springs Jiu-Jitsu, which was open along Gene Autry Trail. He was a well-known and beloved figure in the Coachella Valley's mixed martial arts community.
Swanson, a Palm Springs native, credits Diaz as the person who introduced him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He would go on to use the skills he learned and used it for a successful 12+ year UFC career.
"Diaz was my original BJJ instructor and the reason I started in MMA," Swanson wrote on Instagram.
Swanson is just one of many who have paid tribute to Diaz for his role in their lives.
“He was everybody's friend, everybody's big brother. He was like my big brother," Karianne Carrillo told News Channel 3's Samantha Lomibao on Tuesday.
“The Brazilian jiu-jitsu community has lost a not only a respected martial artist, but also a man committed to improving the lives of those around him,” read a 2018 Jiu-Jitsu Times article memorializing Diaz.
“He always encouraged people to be a better version of themselves and enjoyed life,” read a GoFundMe page created by loved ones. “He was an important person to the Jiu-Jitsu community, a husband, family man, instructor, overall someone very important and impactful to many people.”
The suspects in Diaz's murder, Kipko Griffin, 48, and Troy Walter Edmund, 44, are expected to appear in court on Thursday. Both are currently being held on $1 million bail.
If you have information related to this incident or believe you may have information, contact the Cathedral City Police Department at (760) 770-0300 / Commander Rick Sanchez at (760) 202-2488. You can also use the Cathedral City Police Department website at: cathedralcitypolice.com; or email tips@cathedralcity.gov.
You may also report information anonymously through Coachella Valley Crime Stoppers, by calling (760) 341-STOP; or through the WeTip hotline at: 1-(800)-78-CRIME or WWW.WETIP.com.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates on this case.
