Staff Reports

Liborio De La Luz Ramos, 44, arrested for Voluntary Manslaughter. (Photo Courtesy: Santa Ana PD)

Santa Ana – On Wed., Jan. 28, at approximately 10 p.m., the Orange County Coroner’s Office notified the Santa Ana Police Department of a suspicious death that occurred on Thurs., Jan. 22.  The decedent was a 40-year old transgender woman who died of silicone embolism syndrome related to a silicone injection to the buttocks for cosmetic reasons.

Homicide Detectives initiated a death investigation which revealed that the victim – Felipe De La Riva (who also went by the name of Katya) – went to a “silicone party” in the area sometime in late Dec. 2014.  On Jan. 1, De La Riva admitted herself into Kaiser Hospital due to a respiratory problem.  Silicone embolism syndrome symptoms include fever, chest pain, coughing up blood and altered consciousness.

On Jan. 21, at 7:06 p.m., De La Riva died of an embolism related to the silicone injection. Because the injection was received in a non-medical facility – possibly a hotel room – Kaiser contacted the coroner’s office.

On Thurs., Feb. 5, Santa Ana Police Homicide Detectives arrested Liborio De La Luz Ramos, 44, of Santa Ana, in connection with the death of De La Riva.  Ramos faces one felony count of voluntary manslaughter and two felony counts of the unauthorized practice of medicine, and is being held on $500,000 bail.  Detectives believe there may be additional victims who received injections from the suspect.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Santa Ana Police Detectives at (714) 245-8390.