Second sibling arrested in man’s death

HOT SPRINGS — The second of two brothers accused of fatally stabbing a man during an altercation Sunday night was taken into custody Tuesday in Clark County and charged with first-degree murder, according to police.

Pascual “Paco” Gaspar Andres, 26, of Hot Springs was arrested around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Cpl. Patrick Langley said. His brother, Gaspar Gaspar Andres, 36, of Malvern was taken into custody shortly before 9:30 a.m. Monday and charged with first-degree murder, punishable by up to life in prison.

Both are being held without bail and were to appear Wednesday in Garland County District Court.

According to the probable cause affidavit, officers were called to a reported fight at 202 Hagen St. at around 7:30 p.m. Sunday and were told than an injured man was inside the residence.

Officers entered the building and found a man, later identified as Miguel Ruiz Ruiz, 32, of Hot Springs, on the bathroom floor in “a large pool of blood,” suffering from what appeared to be multiple stab wounds, according to the affidavit. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A female witness said she was standing on her front porch next-door and saw Ruiz get into an altercation with a man she knew as Paco, who lives at 202 Hagen St., the affidavit said. She said Paco pushed Ruiz and Ruiz began to run away, but Paco chased him and tackled him to the ground, according to the affidavit.

Another man she knew to be Paco’s brother ran to where the two men were fighting, and he and Paco were able to grab Ruiz “in a manner to control him” and then dragged him back into the residence, the affidavit said.

She said the men were inside for several minutes and then Paco and his brother ran out, both shirtless, got into a white GMC extended cab pickup and left, according to the affidavit. As they sped away, the pickup struck her parked truck, causing damage to the front bumper, the affidavit says.

She said the men had left the front door of the residence open, so she and her boyfriend went inside to check on Ruiz and found him bleeding on the bathroom floor, the affidavit said. The witness said she did not see anyone other than Ruiz, Paco and his brother enter the residence, and that Paco and his brother were the only ones who left the residence, according to the affidavit.

The boyfriend, who was standing nearby while the woman spoke to police, pulled up two Facebook profiles on his phone, one of Pascual Andres and the other of his brother, Gaspar Andres, the affidavit said. He and his girlfriend said the Andres brothers were the men who fought with Ruiz and dragged him inside, the affidavit said.

They noted that Pascual Andres has another brother who was sleeping in their living room, the affidavit said. Police spoke to the brother, who reportedly confirmed the names of his brothers and that Gaspar Andres drove a white GMC pickup.

Detectives confirmed the identities of the two men through their computer system and determined that Gaspar Andres had a white 2011 GMC Sierra registered in his name. Warrants were issued for both men, and when Gaspar Andres reported to police for questioning Monday morning he was taken into custody without incident.

According to court records, Gaspar Andres has no previous criminal history other than traffic violations, and Pascual Andres has no previous criminal history.

Upcoming Events