Worthington woman missing since June 27

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WORTHINGTON — Authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating a woman who reportedly left Worthington June 27 to go job hunting and hasn’t been seen since.

The man she was allegedly with is wanted on a 2005 warrant for kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct.

Lucia Chilel Perez, 41, of Worthington, vanished under suspicious circumstances while searching for employment in northwest Iowa. A man, Bernardo Ramirez-Perez, allegedly drove her to Iowa from Worthington.

He is considered a “person of interest.”

According to the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, who is assisting the Worthington Police Department with the investigation, Ramirez-Perez may have since fled the area in an attempt to evade authorities. Det. Sgt. Kevin Flynn of the Worthington Police Department said the two people were last seen together at a northwest Iowa business June 27.

“They were stopping at businesses applying for jobs,” Flynn explained. “Family members spoke with her later that day, but since then, no one has spoken with or seen her.”

Chilel Perez is approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighs 120 to 140 pounds and has long black hair. On the day she was last seen, she was wearing an ankle-length denim skirt, a black short-sleeved blouse with white decorations and had in her possession a black back pack. Flynn said the contents of the back pack are unknown.

“We’ve got nothing that indicates foul play, but (Ramirez-Perez) was the last known person with her in Iowa,” Flynn stated. “That’s why we’d like to visit with him.”

Investigators in the case and from surrounding areas are meeting today to coordinate their efforts, Flynn said.

“We have a missing person and are concentrating our efforts in northwest Iowa,” he added. “Hopefully we’ll have a conclusion where she’s found with friends or with some people in the area.”

Flynn said it is unusual that Chilel Perez has not contacted her family.

“She’s never had that kind of behavior,” he said.

Ramirez-Perez, 33, also known as Bernardino Ramirez, allegedly threatened, raped and beat his domestic partner in 2005 after he came home and became upset.

The victim said Ramirez-Perez would not allow her to call for help or leave, threatening to kill her and pulling her back inside their apartment by the hair when she tried to escape.

She told authorities Ramirez-Perez was a violent man and had always treated her so.

Ramirez-Perez was convicted in 2004 of disorderly conduct, and in 2006 a second warrant for his arrest was issued on separate domestic assault charges.

He has also used the aliases Jose Rafael Santiago Torres and Omar Merero Torres.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Ramirez-Perez or Chilel Perez is asked to contact the Worthington Police Department at (507) 372-2136.

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