Second of three wanted suspects arrested

TATUM — The second wanted suspect in the Tatum Police Department’s investigation of a series of June car burglaries has turned himself in.

According to our news partner and Tatum police, Cecil Deon Ruffin surrendered to the department on Dec. 8. He currently remains in Rusk County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Ruffin was one of three wanted suspects in the case, which involved multiple car burglaries across Tatum. The investigation began in June when authorities identified seven car burglary cases, six at Tatum Baseball Park and one elsewhere within city limits. Police determined the incidents were linked to organized criminal activity.

On July 2, another theft was reported when a woman allegedly drove through a Vera Bank in Lufkin and withdrew several thousand dollars from a victim’s account.

Authorities later identified the woman from the Vera Bank as Amanda Martin.

Two other suspects were arrested later in July during a traffic stop in DeSoto. Officers recovered stolen identifications, checkbooks and other banking information belonging to the victims of the Tatum Baseball Park burglaries.

Probable cause affidavits were filed for charges including organized criminal activity, identity theft, vehicle burglary and forgery. The wanted suspects include:

Cecil Deon Ruffin
Brittney Ramkelawan
Amanda Martin

The first suspect arrested, Brittnay Ramkelawan, attempted to flee the state following her warrant. She was taken into custody on Sept. 18 during a traffic stop in Dickson County, Kansas, for a Rusk County warrant.

Rusk County sheriff’s deputies traveled to Kansas to bring Ramkelawan back to Henderson, where she is currently in the county jail facing charges of engaging in organized criminal activity.

The search for fugitive Amanda Martin continues.