Arrests made in 2018 murder of popular Cathedral City jiu-jitsu instructor
Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the 2018 murder of Ramon Diaz, a popular jiu-jitsu instructor from Cathedral City.
Diaz was killed in a shooting on March 28, 2018 on the 31000 block of Whispering Palms Trail.
Diaz was well-known in the local martial arts community. He owned Palm Springs Jiu-Jitsu, where he also served as an instructor. Local UFC fighter Cub Swanson credited Diaz for his start in MMA.
RIP to the Amazing Man who introduced me to BJJ and MMA. Ramon Diaz was my first instructor & I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today pic.twitter.com/xjUQU6CQ7m
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) March 29, 2018
His death brought an outpouring of tributes throughout the community.
“He was everybody's friend, everybody's big brother. He was like my big brother," said Karianne Carrillo who was a good friend Diaz's.
Described as a pillar in this community, Diaz was a beloved instructor who inspired many through Jiu-Jitsu.
Carrillo tells us she met Diaz in 2005, which led to the start of her martial arts journey at his Palm Springs dojo.
“You know when Ramon opened up that school it was the greatest thing Ju-Jitsu was his life it was he made it our lives, he made everybody enjoy it, he made everybody love it.”
Diaz was committed to his students, but his life was cut short on the night of March 28th, 2018.
“He said Ramon was shot and I said, What? What you just like I couldn't believe what I was hearing," said Carrillo.
Cathedral City Police arrived at Diaz’s home, where he had been shot in his driveway and later died at the hospital.
“I collapsed in my hallway and I couldn't believe what I heard. I heard the other line, the person on the other side of the phone saying he's gone," Carrillo added. "And I said, it's like a bad dream but I was awake. But I was like, this can't be happening. There is no way I just heard that Ramon’s gone."
Diaz’s murder left the community searching for answers. Now more than 5 years later, two suspects were arrested.
It's a big break in the case, but Carrillo says she needs to know more.
“The biggest thing people want to know what, why did this guy get robbed of his life? You know, he did so many good things for so many people. You know, he just hadn't taken away for what people just consider nothing. It's hard to deal with," said Carrillo.
His life taken at just 47-years-old, but it’s his impact that will last forever.
“He turned a lot of like lost souls around that came into his school that had nothing left to live for. You know, so he's, he'll never be forgotten. Ju-Jitsu will always, always remind us of him."
“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 really meant something to everyone,” said Ana Luisa Gastelum, who spent several years learning under Diaz. “I was very shy when I started. He helped me come out of my shell [and] be more confident by teaching me the power that I had within me.”
The community searched for answers on this case for several years, putting up a billboard and offering a reward for tips leading to an arrest.
Little updates were released in the years following Diaz's murder, however, detectives continued their investigation and finally, in June 2023, detectives received a lead on new information. This lead helped detectives discover the suspects and vehicle involved in the homicide.
Numerous search warrants were authored, and several interviews were conducted.
On Tuesday, police arrested Kipko Griffin, 48, following a search warrant at his residence in Cathedral City. He was booked into Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on $1 million bail.
An additional suspect, Troy Walter Edmund, 44, was already in custody on unrelated charges. Police said he will be charged with murder. He remains in custody on $1 million bail.
Neither suspect has been officially charged by the District Attorney's office. Both are scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.
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.
