Lulu Sosa

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Snapped: Women Who Murder" – Episode: Lulu Sosa

Release Date: August 10, 2025
Host: Oxygen

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1. Introduction to the Case

The episode delves into the harrowing true-crime story of Lulu Sosa, a woman who orchestrated a plot to murder her husband, Ramon Sosa. Set in Montgomery County, Texas, the narrative unfolds with the discovery of Ramon’s body and the subsequent investigation that unravels the sinister motives behind the attempted murder.

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2. Discovery of the Crime Scene

Timestamp: [02:36] – [05:15]

On July 21, 2015, at 5 PM, investigators are called to a secluded area in Montgomery County, Texas, where they uncover the lifeless body of Ramon Sosa. Detective Jason Martinez describes the scene:

“I was standing above the body of a dead man in a grave.”
— Detective Jason Martinez [03:28]

The body, dressed only in underwear with bound hands and a gunshot wound to the head, suggests a cold-blooded execution. Mundo, a close friend of Ramon, remarks on the methodical nature of the crime:

“It was like he was executed. And then his body was placed in a hole where no one else could find it.”
— Mundo [03:59]

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3. Background of Ramon and Lulu Sosa

Timestamp: [13:32] – [20:47]

Ramon Sosa, born in Puerto Rico in 1967, moved to Texas as a teenager. A professional boxer turned community mentor, Ramon founded the Young Prospects Boxing outreach program in 2004, aiming to guide at-risk youth through sports. His dedication to the community is evident:

“I was a professional boxer at 17, still a senior in high school. And that was pretty cool, you know?”
— Ramon Sosa [14:21]

Ramon met Lulu Durantes in a nightclub where a chance encounter led to marriage in 2009. Lulu, originally from Mexico City, worked tirelessly to support her family, eventually becoming an American citizen. Together, they opened Woodlands Boxing and Fitness, with Ramon managing the boxing operations and Lulu handling the business side.

Over the years, their marriage began to deteriorate, primarily due to financial strains and growing jealousy from Lulu. By 2015, tension reached a boiling point when Lulu filed for divorce, citing greed and hatred as primary motivators.

“We were okay the first three years and then after the third year, that's when I saw little cracks started in our relationship. It seemed like the more money we made, the more arguments we got into.”
— Ramon Sosa [20:12]

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4. Uncovering the Motive

Timestamp: [06:04] – [21:39]

Two weeks before the discovery of Ramon's body, Lulu expressed her desire to have Ramon killed during a conversation overheard by Mundo at the gym. Mundo's intervention was pivotal:

“She was looking for someone to kill her husband.”
— Detective Jason Martinez [01:34]

Lulu's explicit wish for Ramon's disappearance ignited Mundo's concern. With a troubled past, Mundo felt compelled to assist, leading him to fabricate the existence of a hitman named Paco. In reality, Ramon took on the role of the supposed assassin to gather evidence against Lulu.

“Probably one of the few men that has ever walked out of his own grave alive.”
— Ramon Sosa [05:35]

The duo strategized to prove Lulu's intent by staging Ramon's murder, ensuring that she would react to the fabricated death.

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5. The Undercover Operation

Timestamp: [28:01] – [38:38]

Detectives, in collaboration with the Texas Department of Public Safety, initiated an undercover operation. An officer posing as Paco met with Lulu, negotiating the terms of the hit. Lulu's lack of hesitation and her immediate agreement upon seeing Ramon's "dead" photo confirmed her malicious intent:

“We agreed on $1,000 cash, the title to Ramon's truck once the job was done. And she was going to give Paco some of Ramon's jewelry to compensate him further.”
— Detective Jason Martinez [30:54]

To solidify the case, Ramon was taken to a pre-dug shallow grave where his death was staged. The process required meticulous attention to detail to ensure authenticity, as the operation hinged on demonstrating Lulu's intent to commit capital murder.

“I was in the back of this SUV and it was blacked out, you know, and me sitting in the back seat thinking, like, what am I doing?”
— Ramon Sosa [34:40]

The staged death successfully elicited a chilling reaction from Lulu when she saw the fabricated evidence.

“Probably the most chilling part of this entire case was her immediate response to the photo. And it was her smile.”
— Detective Jason Martinez [37:59]

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6. Arrest and Aftermath

Timestamp: [38:25] – [46:27]

Following the successful sting operation, Lulu was arrested on July 23, 2015, for solicitation of capital murder. Her reaction during the arrest was emotionally charged, revealing the depth of her animosity towards Ramon.

At her hearing, Ramon delivered a profound victim impact statement, expressing forgiveness despite the betrayal:

“I forgave her and it was as if I had released all that anger and all that tension and I was at peace again.”
— Ramon Sosa [45:07]

Lulu faced a plea deal, accepting a sentence of 20 years in prison. Her cooperation in accepting responsibility, despite lacking a prior criminal history, was a significant factor in the sentencing.

“She agreed to plead to 20 years in prison to what's called a second-degree felony, which carries a range of punishment for her from probation to 20 years.”
— Mundo [43:56]

The Sosa family, though deeply scarred by the ordeal, found solace in their strengthened bonds and the closure brought by Lulu's conviction.

“Our family is much, much closer. The dynamics between my father and I have been amazing.”
— Ramon Sosa [45:28]

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7. Conclusion and Reflections

The episode concludes with reflections on the impact of the case on Ramon and his family. Despite the betrayal and trauma, Ramon emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and learning from the experience to help others in similar situations.

“I hope that people that see my story can learn something from it and I hope that it helps them.”
— Ramon Sosa [45:07]

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Key Takeaways

• Motive Driven by Greed and Anger: Lulu Sosa's desire for financial gain and her intense jealousy were primary motivators behind her attempt to murder Ramon.

• Strategic Undercover Operations: The collaboration between Ramon, Mundo, and law enforcement showcased the effectiveness of undercover operations in solving severe crimes.

• Impact on Family Dynamics: Despite the harrowing events, the Sosa family's unity and resilience played a crucial role in their healing process.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Detective Jason Martinez:
  “There was just no margin for error. It was truly life or death.”
  [01:46]

• Mundo:
  “They were talking about that Lulu wished that Ramon was dead.”
  [07:07]

• Ramon Sosa:
  “I was stunned. I was in total fear.”
  [32:43]

• Detective Jason Martinez:
  “We had enough. We had our case. We'd gotten across the goal line.”
  [38:31]

---

This episode of "Snapped: Women Who Murder" intricately weaves the narrative of betrayal, strategic investigation, and ultimate justice, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities involved in unraveling such a dark tale.

Transcript

[Ashley Flowers]

Some cases fade from headlines, some never made it there to begin with. I'm Ashley Flowers and on my podcast the Deck, I tell you the stories of cold cases featured on playing cards distributed in prisons designed to spark new leads and bring long overdue justice. Because these stories deserve to be heard and the loved ones of these victims still deserve answers, are you ready to be dealt in? Listen to the Deck now. Wherever you get your podcasts, Babbel language learning app helps crack the case of confusing foreign conversations. Every unsolved mystery starts with a miscommunication. But with Babbel's expert designed 10 minute lessons, you'll be fluent in the facts faster than you can say person of interest. Over 200 language experts have crafted these lessons using real world conversations, making sure you're ready to communicate anywhere your investigation takes you. And this isn't just hearsay. Studies from Yale and Michigan State University prove that 15 hours with Babbel equals an entire college semester of language learning. Right now, decode a new language for 60% off when you visit babbel.com truecrime that's b a B-B-E-L.com truecrime rules and restrictions apply. A divorce fueled by greed and hatred.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

They came to make a police report. She was looking for someone to kill.

[Ramon Sosa]

Her husband, like disappear. And she was like, yeah.

[Ashley Flowers]

Investigators rush to save a life that's on the line.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

There was just no margin for error. It was truly life or death.

[Mundo]

You could tell she was excited and thrilled with what was going on.

[Ashley Flowers]

A woman determined to kill shows investigators how far she is willing to go.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

That let me know that we are dealing with a truly evil woman.

[Ashley Flowers]

Montgomery County, Texas sits at the northern edge of Houston's massive sprawl.

[Mundo]

In the south of Montgomery county, you have kind of your metropolitan Houston type suburb areas. North of the county is very rural. You have ranch communities. So you have a wide variety of people.

[Ashley Flowers]

It's 5pm on July 21, 2015, when investigators are called to a remote spot in Montgomery county and uncover a scene unlike any other.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

It was a county owned piece of property that was very isolated, had a lot of COVID and concealment due to trees and high grass.

[Ashley Flowers]

Detective Jason Martinez takes in an unsettling scene.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

I was standing above the body of a dead man in a grave.

[Mundo]

The grave was a shallow grave. It looked like it was basically dug by hand by shovels.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

The body was wearing nothing but a pair of underwear. His hands were bound behind his back. There was an obvious gunshot wound to the head. A close contact Entry wound on the right templ.

[Mundo]

It was like he was executed. And then his body was placed in a hole where no one else could find it.

[Ashley Flowers]

Detective Martinez recognizes the victim.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

The victim in the grave was Ramon Sosa. Ramon was pretty well known in the community as a local business owner.

[Mundo]

He started up a boxing gym and he trained young boxers. He was a mentor to people in our community.

[Ashley Flowers]

And crime scene technicians meticulously process the scene.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

We took a lot of photos. Different angles. Start outward, work inward, get up close.

[Ashley Flowers]

Then in an instant, what looks to be the scene of a cold blooded murder is transformed. Sounds beautiful.

[Ramon Sosa]

Ramuzosa. R A M O N S O S a. All I can hear is the clicking of the 35 millimeter camera going around me, just taking pictures nonstop. And that was it. They said, okay, Mr. Schlisser, you're done.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Once we completed taking the photos, we helped Ramon out of the grave.

[Ashley Flowers]

The crime scene is part of an elaborate sting operation.

[Mundo]

The plan was to stage the murder of Ramon to fake Ramon's death.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

He was having to pretend to be dead to save his own life.

[Ramon Sosa]

Probably one of the few men that has ever walked out of his own grave alive.

[Ashley Flowers]

Two weeks earlier, on July 5, 2015, 48 year old Ramon Sosa and his good friend Mundo first walked into the Montgomery County Constable's office.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Ramon and his friend Mundo came to make a police report.

[Ashley Flowers]

Mundo tells detectives that a couple of weeks ago, he overheard a bizarre conversation between Ramon's wife Lulu and Lulu's teenage daughter at the family owned gym.

[Ramon Sosa]

I think it was around June 25, June 26, I walked in on the conversation regarding Mr. Sosa, his soon to be ex wife, with his daughter. With her daughter. With her daughter.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Okay, so this is your wife?

[Ramon Sosa]

Yeah, we're going through the board basically, and we own a business called Women's boxing. Now.

[Mundo]

What kind of troubles are y' all going through?

[Ramon Sosa]

It was a divorce. She wants everything, money, life insurance, paying your 401k, house, businesses, you know. Mundo was at the gym this one evening and he walked in front of my office in the gym. And Lulu was talking to her daughter.

[Ashley Flowers]

Mundo explains. The subject of their conversation came as a shock.

[Mundo]

They were talking about that Lulu wished that Ramon was dead.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Lulu was looking for someone to kill her husband.

[Mundo]

Mundo decided to take it upon himself and approach Lulu and ask her what's going on. That's why he started talking with Lulu in order to make sure. See, like anybody would want to know, does she really want this to happen.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

She was a little vague in what she was asking for. She said she wanted him to disappear.

[Ramon Sosa]

I was like, well, what do you mean? Like, disappear? Like jail? She's like, no, you know, disappear.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Mundo wanted to confirm and verify what she was talking about and made the motion with his hand as though he was holding a gun.

[Ramon Sosa]

I want to, like. Like, disappear. And she was like, yeah. And I'm like, you know what? She's serious.

[Ashley Flowers]

Mundo says in another twist he didn't see coming, Lulu asked for his help.

[Mundo]

Mundo had kind of a checkered past. He had been involved in a gang. And Lulu tried to enlist Mundo, knowing his history, to see if he knew anyone that could do what she wanted.

[Ashley Flowers]

Thinking on his feet, Mundo went along with Lulu's request.

[Mundo]

Mundo told Lulu that he had someone by the name of Paco that could do the job. But in fact, Paco didn't exist. He was very close with Ramon. He was concerned something was going to happen, and so that's why he got involved.

[Ashley Flowers]

Following the conversation with Lulu, Mundo tells investigators he called Ramon.

[Ramon Sosa]

I remember I get a call from Mundo, and he tells me, hey, pops, you know this lady wants to kill you. And I said, what are you talking about? I was so upset. I mean, there was so much rage, and I was so mad. I thought he was joking. He said, no, man, this is not a joke. It's for real. He said, I've seen that look on people's eyes when they want to kill somebody, and she has that look.

[Ashley Flowers]

Ramon tells investigators he was in shock. With the divorce pending, he and Lulu were still sharing a home.

[Ramon Sosa]

She decided she was gonna live on the second floor, and I was gonna live on the first floor of the house. I just went in the house, went in my room, and locked the door. And all I did, I just laid in my bed staring at the. Staring at the ceiling, thinking, like, what am I gonna do? What am I gonna do? Sleeping basically with one eye open.

[Ashley Flowers]

Ramon and Mundo tell investigators they agreed that their best bet was for Mundo to keep stringing Lulu along.

[Ramon Sosa]

She might be saying this kind of stuff because she's just mad right now. There's really no evidence right now. So I told Mundo, get as much information as you can.

[Ashley Flowers]

In an attempt to see just how serious Lulu was, Mundo quickly took the next step and told Lulu he'd spoken with Paco, who was on board for the job.

[Mundo]

She believed him. There was no hesitation. There was no worry on her part. She trusted Mundo completely.

[Ashley Flowers]

Ramon tells investigators he then purchased a burner phone, which he used to text Mundo, posing as Paco. His Own would be killer.

[Ramon Sosa]

He texted back and forth with me like I was the hitman. You know, I need $200, and let's go do this.

[Ashley Flowers]

Mundo says he showed the texts to Lulu as proof.

[Ramon Sosa]

She had no idea. The whole time that hitman was me, I was playing my own hitman.

[Ashley Flowers]

So let me ask you this. If why did you get involved?

[Ramon Sosa]

Why did you take that extra step to create this fictitious? I was afraid, sir, that they might get that person to actually do the job.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Was Mundo the only person that Lulu was talking to? Was he the only one she was seeking this type of assistance from?

[Ashley Flowers]

As the two men continue with their story, they reveal an even more concerning detail.

[Ramon Sosa]

I told her, all right, they want $12,000. She goes, what if I give them a truck? A truck and $2,000 later? I said, well, to start the hit off, they want $100 for me, for them to buy the gun. She gives me the hundred dollars. Yesterday, on July 4th, I gave him $100 right there.

[Mundo]

There's money involved. She's really serious about having Ramon killed.

[Ashley Flowers]

Investigators are stunned by how much information Mundo was able to obtain.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Time was of the essence, and this was a very serious matter. So the ball got to move quick.

[Ashley Flowers]

Coming up, investigators dig into the broken marriage that threatens Ramon's life.

[Ramon Sosa]

She started getting really, really jealous. Her whole attitude changed. She just wasn't the same person.

[Ashley Flowers]

And a deadly plot is uncovered.

[Ramon Sosa]

Mundo was recording everything. It was chilling to listen to the how she wanted me dead.

[Ashley Flowers]

July 5, 2015. Texas gym owner Ramon Sosa and his friend Mundo have just detailed to Montgomery county investigators a shocking murder for hire plot that has been coming to a head over the past two weeks.

[Mundo]

They also presented some audio recordings of Lulu speaking with Mundo.

[Ashley Flowers]

Ramon and Mundo hand over cell phones containing text messages from Lulu as well as a thumb drive.

[Mundo]

Well, time is of the essence on.

[Ramon Sosa]

A case like this.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

So we're going to take this one.

[Ashley Flowers]

And we're going to take that thumb drive.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

I really need to dig into this.

[Ashley Flowers]

I'm going to need to obviously get.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

A translator to translate what's on the thumb drive.

[Ashley Flowers]

As investigators hang the phones and the drive to be translated, they request Ramon fill in the blanks on his background. Born in Puerto Rico in 1967, Ramon came to the United States with his family in the early 70s, where after several years of moving around, they eventually settled in Texas.

[Ramon Sosa]

We moved to Texas when I was in young teenager, 12 or 13.

[Ashley Flowers]

Somewhere around there, there's four of us siblings. We were very close, all of us are very close. My parents always did a lot of things with us when we were younger. From an early age, Ramon discovered a lifelong passion.

[Ramon Sosa]

I really got interested in boxing when my father took me to the gym with him. I fell in love with the sport and never looked back. I turned pro, so I was a professional boxer at 17, still a senior in high school. And that was pretty cool, you know?

[Ashley Flowers]

But soon after he graduated high school, Ramon's path to a professional career was derailed.

[Ramon Sosa]

I just was not training the way I was supposed to be training. And then my father sent me to Puerto Rico to fight over there. And when I came back, mine was not there. With boxing anymore.

[Ashley Flowers]

Barely in his 20s and with one career already behind him, Ramon was looking at the long term when he embarked on his new profession as a driver for FedEx.

[Ramon Sosa]

From there, I moved to LA for a job opportunity. And that's where I met the mother of my kids, Dolores. The way I met her was dancing. We got together and one thing led to another, and she ended up getting pregnant with my oldest son. And that's when I talked to Loris into coming back to Texas with me.

[Ashley Flowers]

They then, shortly after, had my brother Chris. And then I came. I came along.

[Ramon Sosa]

We had a nice home, and I was able to build a pool in the backyard, like, it's like a little paradise. The kids loved it.

[Ashley Flowers]

After a decade together, Ramon and Dolores parted ways.

[Ramon Sosa]

It's a common law, you know, marriage than what we had. I think we kind of started growing apart a little bit because I didn't want her to work. I was more of an old school, you know, and I kind of, I guess, bothered her a little bit. We got joined custody, and we ended up living separate lives.

[Ashley Flowers]

During the breakup, Ramon leaned heavily on his love of boxing.

[Ramon Sosa]

I still kept going to the gym, and I did more training young, you know, young fighters.

[Ashley Flowers]

In 2004, he founded an outreach program for kids in the community.

[Ramon Sosa]

It was a nonprofit called Young Prospects Boxing, who would pick him up after school, take them to the gym, and they were trained, and kids loved it.

[Ashley Flowers]

In the early days of the program, Ramon first met Mundo.

[Ramon Sosa]

Mundo one day came to the gym. He wanted to join a boxing team or club. I told him, hey, you know, if you want to, you can start today.

[Ashley Flowers]

Ramon says Mundo never looked back in, like three months.

[Ramon Sosa]

We came very, very close, and he kind of opened up a little more to me about his background. He grew up as a gang member. It's tough. He ended up going to prison for a little while. He just went down the wrong path. Then when he came out at a prison, he decided to change his life.

[Ashley Flowers]

Working as a delivery driver during the day and training at night kept 40 year old Ramon Sosa busy. But he still managed to find time for romance. My dad and Lulu met at a nightclub. He saw her across the way and thought she was beautiful. And when she walked past him, she stepped on his foot. She did that and apologized. That was his gateway.

[Ramon Sosa]

I just looked up at her and all I can say is like, would you dance with me? And she goes, of course, course. And the rest was history. After about a year and a half of dating, I just decided that, you know, this is the one.

[Ashley Flowers]

Lulu Durantes was born in 1974 in Mexico City.

[Ramon Sosa]

She was a middle child of three. She grew up with her mother, only they were very tight knit family. She was working at a Ford factory in Mexico City and that's when she met her then husband and the father of her kids.

[Ashley Flowers]

Lulu and her husband eventually divorced and she looked for a fresh start in Texas in the mid 2000s. She was here on a visa, visitor visa. She had an apartment where she lived with her two children and her mother.

[Ramon Sosa]

She was working, cleaning houses. She's a hard worker. She's doing whatever it takes to help her kids.

[Ashley Flowers]

After dating for a couple of years, Lulu and Ramon tied the knot in 2009. You know, she loves my dad, my dad was happy, they were happy.

[Ramon Sosa]

She supported my boxing. She becomes an American citizen. It was wonderful.

[Ashley Flowers]

One year later, the family moved across town and together, Lulu and Ramon opened Woodlands Boxing and Fitness.

[Ramon Sosa]

I was the head coach and I would take care of the gym, the boxing part of it. And then she did the business side of it. Mundo, he became a right hand man. Eventually, Lulu thought that Mundo's a bad influence, you know, con, whatever, and she thought he made the gym look bad. But then when he started helping and taking care of the gym and she found out how to get benefits out of him, now he was good.

[Ashley Flowers]

Over the next few years, Ramon and Lulu focused on running the gym. But the couple's marriage soon began to suffer.

[Ramon Sosa]

We were okay the first three years and then after the third year, that's when I saw little cracks started in our relationship. It seemed like the more money we made, the more arguments we got into. I was working a lot, you know, literally basically all day. All she could say was like, you know, you're always busy with boxing. She started getting really, really jealous about my kids. She would treat them totally the opposite of how she treated them. When she met them and I felt like now that she had a nice home, she had money, her whole attitude changed. You know, she just wasn't the same person.

[Ashley Flowers]

In 2015, their relationship came to a breaking point when Lulu surprised Ramon by filing for divorce.

[Ramon Sosa]

They had that pickup truck and a couple of cars and I think a couple of motorcycles too. And she basically was out to get whatever she could. It was very difficult. Divorce, money, the greed of money, that's all it was.

[Ashley Flowers]

For investigators. The more Ramon reveals, the more Lulu's motive begins to crystallize. What do you think the motivation of this? Is it anger or greedy?

[Ramon Sosa]

Angry. Angry. Angry. Anger. And then she wants everything.

[Ashley Flowers]

Mundo and Ramon leave the office, but not without specific instructions on what to do next.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Ramon was advised to limit his interaction with Lulu for obvious reasons and to distance himself. But go to work, maintain your normal routine. Just limit your time and interaction with her.

[Ramon Sosa]

I ended up staying with my parents. He had no idea what was going on. I didn't tell anybody. I was in constant fear. It was horrible living day to day knowing that somebody wants to kill you and you don't know when or where or how.

[Ashley Flowers]

Coming up, investigators speculate if there are two sides to this sordid tale.

[Mundo]

She agreed. She made 911 calls, accused Ramon of.

[Ashley Flowers]

Assaulting her, and Lulu puts her plan into action. This show is Sponsored by Liquid IV. Hey, it's Stephanie Gomolka with oxygen.com soaking up the last bits of summer sometimes means more time in the sun. I trust Liquid IV to keep me hydrated, whether I'm squeezing in another pool day, weekend trip or running in the park. I used to drink so much water and found my lips would still be so dry. Liquid IV helps me stay hydrated so that doesn't happen. Liquid IV is packed with electrolytes, essential vitamins, and clinically tested nutrients that turn ordinary water into extraordinary hydration. Just one stick in 16 ounces of water hydrates better than water alone. My favorite flavor, hands down, is Firecracker. I'm obsessed and I have it every day. It's delicious with ice cold water and tastes like summer in a bottle. Savor the last bits of summer with Liquid IV. Tear pour live more. Go to LiquidIV.com and get 20% off your first purchase with code snapped at checkout. That's 20% off your first order with code [e-mail] the town of Agda in France is famous for sun, sand, sea and sex. But lately, life on the coast has taken a strange turn. The town's mayor A respected pillar of the community has been arrested for corruption. His wife claims he's been bewitched by a beautiful clairvoyant. Then there's the mysterious phone calls that local people have been getting.

[Ramon Sosa]

I am the Archangel Michael.

[Ashley Flowers]

The whole town has been thrown into.

[Mundo]

Chaos as the mayor is unable to.

[Ashley Flowers]

Carry out his duties.

[Ramon Sosa]

I would like to address you. All legal proceedings have been initiated.

[Ashley Flowers]

Join me, Anna Richardson and journalist Leo Chic for the mystic and the Mayor, as we investigate a story of power, corruption and magic. Binge all episodes of the mystic and the Mayor, exclusively and ad free right now on Wondery. Start your free trial in Apple podcasts, Spotify or the Wondery app. Detectives in Montgomery County, Texas, are investigating a claim by former boxer Ramon Sosa stating his wife Lulu is trying to kill him.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

This case was revolving around a person's life, so we couldn't get it wrong. There was just no margin for error because it was truly life or death.

[Ashley Flowers]

On July 6, they listen to the recorded phone calls between Lulu and Mundo from the past week. And they quickly discover Lulu isn't shy when it comes to her motive.

[Mundo]

Ramon worked for FedEx for over 30 years and continued to work for them. And he had a very large pension that Lulu would get if he were murdered.

[Ashley Flowers]

As investigators keep listening, they learn that Lulu has a looming deadline.

[Ramon Sosa]

Our finalization of the divorce was coming up soon, and she wanted the hit to happen before then because if it happened after the divorce, my kids would get all my inheritance.

[Ashley Flowers]

With the deadline less than three weeks away, investigators look closer at the Sosa marriage.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

As part of a criminal investigation. It's standard practice to run a criminal history check on everyone involved. The call history for their residence was pulled, and there did show to be several disturbance calls to the house.

[Mundo]

She'd accused Ramon of assaulting her, sexually assaulting her. Lulu called the police multiple times about that.

[Ashley Flowers]

Investigators dig into Lulu's allegations from 2013 and find no evidence to back up her claims.

[Ramon Sosa]

Lulu had called law enforcement several times.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

They were summoned to the home.

[Ramon Sosa]

I think after the third time the constables came out, they began to believe that this woman was not genuine in what she was telling them.

[Mundo]

The sexual assault allegation by Lulu against Ramon, that case was fully investigated. Ramon even took a lie detector test during it. The grand jury in Montgomery county refused to indict. And we found there was no probable cause that it happened.

[Ashley Flowers]

Finding no reason to discredit Ramon. And with the clock ticking, detectives consult with the district attorney's office in order.

[Mundo]

To charge Simone with Solicitation of capital murder. You have to develop your own investigation and our own evidence. And we decided to do an undercover operation.

[Ramon Sosa]

At that point, the sheriff's office took it very seriously and got in touch with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the DPS sent down an undercover officer posing as an assassin.

[Mundo]

Mundo told Lulu that he had someone by the name of Paco that could do the job that she wanted to do.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Law enforcement was able to set up an undercover to pursue the role of Paco. The next step was a face to face meeting with Paco and Lulu.

[Ramon Sosa]

I told him, I said, look, you know Lulu, she's usually only having conversations with Mundo. So if anything, I need to have Mundo around. Meeting with the undercover officer.

[Ashley Flowers]

Mundo agrees to facilitate the meeting between Lulu and the undercover agent.

[Mundo]

The goal was to have Mundo ride with Paco to the location to meet with Lulu and then have Mundo introduce Lulu to Paco. And once that took place, we wanted him to get back in his car and leave because we didn't want him involved.

[Ashley Flowers]

On the evening of July 20, Mundo, Lulu and the undercover agent meet in the parking lot of a local department store.

[Mundo]

There were a number of undercover officers that were in the area watching and ready to act in case something went down. Normally when you're dealing with solicitation of capital murder cases, your suspect, they may be a little more nervous. And Lulu Soso was not that at all.

[Ashley Flowers]

Lulu reiterates that she needs the hit to take place within the next 48 hours. Lulu agrees to give Paco an additional $500 up front, with more to come after the murder.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

They agreed on $1,000 cash, the title to Ramon's truck once the job was done. And she was going to give Paco some of Ramon's jewelry to compensate him further. I was pretty taken back. That let me know that we are dealing with a truly evil.

[Ashley Flowers]

Following the meeting, investigators tape the recordings to prosecutors. While damning, they worry it still isn't enough.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

In this case. Lulu had no prior criminal history. She was a productive member of society. So there, there were several things in her favor that we wanted to negate a jury from falling for.

[Ashley Flowers]

To seal Lulu's fate, they will need Ramon's help in carrying out an unorthodox plot. On July 21, 2015, Ramon reports to the constable's office.

[Mundo]

When you're talking about a solicitation of capital murder case, you want to be able to show a jury or a judge what the suspect will do when they see the person that they wanted dead, actually dead. And so it's not uncommon to during the investigation to try to stage the murder.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

We knew one of the final pieces of the puzzle was the proof of death. The district attorney wanted a certain bar to be met evidentiary wise. And we knew that that was going to be staging Ramon's death, showing proof of death to Lulu and getting her reaction on video.

[Ramon Sosa]

He said, so what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna take a picture, show her a picture of you dead with a bullet wound on the side of your head. And I'm like, you're kidding me. I couldn't believe it. I didn't know what to say. I was like, I was stunned. I was in total fear. And I was just. Didn't know what to expect.

[Mundo]

We had the investigators basically use makeup to place a bullet hole on his head.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

We made a close contact entry wound on the right temple, what appeared to be a fatal gunshot wound to the head. We collaboratively discussed, you know, hey, do we have this right? You know, is. Is the stippling just right? You know, this undercover operation had to be spot on, had to look legit, because ultimately, a man's life depended on it.

[Ashley Flowers]

Coming up, will Lulu buy into the sting operation?

[Detective Jason Martinez]

We had to put ramon into hiding.

[Ashley Flowers]

July 21, 2015. Authorities in Montgomery County, Texas, are acting fast to save Ramon Sosa's life. With less than 20, 24 hours before Lulu's deadline to have Ramon killed, investigators prepare to stage his murder.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

About 3pm is when we took Mr. Sosa to the gravesite that we used. It was very isolated.

[Ramon Sosa]

I'll never forget. I was in the back of this suv and it was blacked out, you know, and me sitting in the back seat thinking, like, what am I doing? There were people there already waiting, and there was a guy with a. With a camera. And so one of these officers told me how I was gonna pose and all this. They already had a shallow grave dug up.

[Ashley Flowers]

Ramone carefully steps down into the 4x4 foot grave.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

I instructed Ramon to just put his hands behind his back that way. It appeared as though they were tied behind his back and he was dumped in a hole.

[Ramon Sosa]

They told me to close my eyes. It added more blood to my nose, I think mouth also.

[Mundo]

We took pictures of him with our cell phones. They had to be taken in a way to look like it was people who had just committed a murder taking a photograph of someone.

[Ashley Flowers]

When Ramon climbs out of the grave, he is visibly shaken.

[Mundo]

He was upset, like anybody would seeing basically what is their own death.

[Ramon Sosa]

I knew that Was going to be difficult. So many different thoughts were going through my head. I was thinking about my kids, my family. What are they going to say when they see this picture of me? I mean, they're going to see us sooner or later.

[Ashley Flowers]

To keep Ramon safe, investigators whisk him away to a hotel at an undisclosed location.

[Mundo]

The goal of that was to have Ramon's friends reach out to Lulu to ask where Ramon was, To see what her reaction would be, what her story would be.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

We had to put Ramon into hiding for several days.

[Ramon Sosa]

They took my phone away. I had no contact with anybody.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Not his employer, no family members, nobody. And he had to understand that that was the only key to making this work.

[Ramon Sosa]

The officer, you know, when they dropped me off, they said, well, we'll call you as soon as we arrest her. I remember the. I just wanted this to be over.

[Ashley Flowers]

On July 22, Hako and Lulu meet for a second time.

[Mundo]

Lulu got in the car. You could tell she was excited and thrilled with what was going on.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Probably the most chilling part of this entire case was her immediate response to the photo. And it was her smile.

[Ramon Sosa]

Okay, gracias.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

We had enough. We had our case. We'd gotten across the goal line.

[Ashley Flowers]

The next day, on July 23rd, Detective Martinez and a patrol officer appeared, Approached Lulu at the gym.

[Ramon Sosa]

Okay.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Detective Martinez with the constable's office had a few questions for you.

[Mundo]

Lulu was in the back office of the boxing gym. Her mom was there. Her daughter was there.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Ramon had been off the grid for the previous 48 hours. Our plan was to speak to her under the guise of me investigating a missing person's report. Apparently, Mr. Souza hasn't been at work today.

[Ashley Flowers]

I haven't seen him. I've been talking to him. We're going through divorce.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

I just let her talk. It was about a 10 minute long production of her attempting to give the appearance that she was being helpful to us. But it got to a point where I made the decision to. To go ahead and place her in custody. Okay, Ms. Sosa, stand up, please.

[Ashley Flowers]

You're under arrest.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

Okay, you're under arrest.

[Ramon Sosa]

Ma', am.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

It's okay. Stay back. We have a warrant.

[Ashley Flowers]

As soon as Lulu is in cuffs, investigators make an important phone call.

[Ramon Sosa]

Gave me the call, said, you know, she's been arrested. We're gonna go pick you up now.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

And.

[Ramon Sosa]

I had tears of sadness, of anger, and so many emotions came through me about everything that had gone down.

[Ashley Flowers]

At the station. Police read Lulu her rights, but she refuses to talk.

[Detective Jason Martinez]

From the minute she was taken into custody, she Lawyered up and exercised her fifth amendment right.

[Ashley Flowers]

Coming up, the Sosa family hopes for closure.

[Ramon Sosa]

I remember her when they brought her in. The sounds of the chains, you know, her walking. She never looked at me the whole time. I just want it to be over.

[Ashley Flowers]

On July 23, 2015, Lulu Sosa is arrested for solicitation of capital murder after hiring an undercover agent to kill her husband, Ramon. During the second sting, Ramon hid out in a hotel. But news of Lulu's arrest breaks before he has the chance to reach out to his family. Hello, everyone. I'm Ashley Banfield. This is Primetime Justice. Divorce can get messy. My mom, she saw there was a breaking news from Montgomery county next to the Woodlands. Woman tried to murder her husband.

[Ramon Sosa]

My mom's English is kind of broken, and the only thing she understood was that she was arrested for killing her husband.

[Ashley Flowers]

She saw her picture on the breaking.

[Ramon Sosa]

News, and my mom just fainted and just started screaming. The first person I call is my mother. And oh, my goodness, I heard her in the background because my dad picked up the phone and I hear in the background my mom just yelling. You know, that kind of cry you hear at the funeral? Just, just. It was breaking me. She thought that I was dead.

[Ashley Flowers]

Immediately, Ramon rushes to his family's side.

[Ramon Sosa]

I get too the house and my dad is there, Eyes are bloodshot. My mom's in the back, just couldn't catch her breath. I started calling my sons because everybody was. So many people seen it on tv. I called my sons and my daughter Mia.

[Ashley Flowers]

I just immediately started bawling my eyes out. I was crying. I remember. I just. I was so angry because how could somebody want to kill my father, you know, let alone his wife. While awaiting trial, Lulu never offers up an explanation for her actions, and the couple's divorce is finalized.

[Ramon Sosa]

The divorce, you know, she. Everything was awarded. Everything. The cars, the house, the gems. It was all awarded to me.

[Ashley Flowers]

So out of all that greed that she wanted everything, she went and her kids and her family and her mom without nothing. By the fall of 2016, over a year after Lulu's arrest, she sees the writing on the wall. On October 11th, Lulu takes a plea.

[Mundo]

She agreed to plead to 20 years in prison to what's called what's a second degree felony, which carries a range of punishment for her for probation to 20 years. So she accepted the maximum punishment for that crime because no one was murdered. Her lack of any criminal history in her past and the fact that she was willing to accept responsibility, I believe 20 years was a just sentence in.

[Ramon Sosa]

This Case I just was ready to be over with, you know, it was about 15 months later. I just wanted it to be over.

[Ashley Flowers]

At her hearing, the judge gives Ramon a chance to speak to his wife and would be killer.

[Ramon Sosa]

I remember her when they brought her in. The sounds of the chains, you know, her walking. And I feel saddened to see this lady. How she ended up somebody that came to this country looking for a better life for herself and her kids.

[Mundo]

Ramon was able to give what we call a victim impact statement about the impact that this has had on him and what she's done to him and his family.

[Ramon Sosa]

I forgave her and it was as if I had released all that anger and all that air of the balloon and I was at peace again. She never looked at me the whole time and they just took her away. And that's the last time I saw her.

[Ashley Flowers]

But the Sosa family walks away from the ordeal with something far more valuable than money or possessions. Our family is much, much closer. The dynamics between my father and I has been amazing. I mean, I have a four year old son, his grandson, his first grandson. He's an amazing grandfather.

[Ramon Sosa]

I know that there's a day that's gonna come in the near future that Lulu's gonna be released from prison. I hope that she betters her life. What's helped me a lot too is talking to people, people, men and women that are going through difficult situations in marriages. I hope that people that see my story can learn something from it and I hope that it helps them.

[Ashley Flowers]

Maria Lulu Doranta Souza was paroled in November 2023. Lulu's daughter was never charged in relation to the attempted murder crimes against Ramon. Remember those endless summer days that felt like they just last forever? Sunrays kiss your skin. Grass tickles your toes as you bite into the creamy popsicle melting in your hand. Pure unbothered bliss. Capture more sun drenched memories with the Orange Vanilla Dream hydration multiplier from Liquid iv. This nostalgic vanilla flavor with notes of candied orange can help keep you hydrated while savoring your favorite golden hour moments. No matter how hot your summer gets, just one stick of liquid IV and 16 ounces of water hydrates you better than water alone. It's three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink with eight vitamins and nutrients for refreshing on the go hydration. Live your summer dream with Liquid IV tear pour live more. Go to liquidiv.com and get 20% off your first order with code. Indulge 20 at checkout. That's code [e-mail].