Two Men Charged in Murder of Camden Mother Who Went Missing on Monday

Two Camden County men allegedly kidnapped a Camden woman and left her blindfolded with duct tape covering her mouth before burying her alive, Camden County Prosecutor Warren W. Faulk said on Thursday.

Carlos Alicea-Antonetti, 36 of Camden, and Ramon Ortiz, 57 of Pennsauken, have been charged in the murder of Fatima Perez, a Camden mother reported missing on Monday and found in Gloucester County on Wednesday.

Alicea-Antonetti, an acquaintance of the victim, allegedly picked up Perez on Monday, in his van near her home on the 400 block of N. 41st Street to drive her to buy a car. Perez carried $8,000 for the purchase, according to her family.

While Perez was in the car, Alicea-Antonetti also picked up Ortiz, an employee at Alicea-Antonetti’s landscaping business Villa Coamo Landscaping and General Maintenance. According to the probable cause statement, the two men offered differing accounts of the sequence of events, but both provided information that Perez was left bound and blindfolded with duct tape lying in the back of the van. More duct tape covered her mouth.

The two men are accused of driving to a wooded area near Clayton Road in Monroe Township, where Ortiz used a shovel to dig a hole. It is alleged they placed Perez in the hole, covered her in quicklime, and buried her. The two defendants stated Perez was alive as they buried her.

Based on information received during the investigation, Perez appears to have been buried some time after dark Monday night.

Perez was reported missing by her family at 4:26 p.m. Monday.

Camden County Police detectives learned from family the victim was likely with Alicea-Antonetti and Ortiz and over the next 24 hours worked to find these men.

Sources led them to the Express Inn in Cherry Hill, where they were staying. Officers from the Camden County Police and the Cherry Hill Police Department took the two defendants into custody about 3 a.m. Wednesday. Alicea-Antonetti had $7,000 in his possession when detained. 

According to the probable cause statement, Ortiz led investigators to the location where he and Alicea-Antonetti had buried Perez. Investigators unearthed her remains about 11 a.m. Wednesday. Prosecutor Faulk credited the assistance of the Monroe Township Police and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office in the recovery effort.

The two men were charged late Wednesday.

An autopsy determined asphyxiation caused Perez’s death.