18,575,322 views Jul 18, 2021
Ramon Sosa had a seemingly perfect life: he owned a local business in Texas, had a family and a beautiful wife. So how did he find himself lying in his own grave, pretending to be dead?
It turns out, his wife Lulu actually wanted him killed, and was working with a man she thought was a hitman to make it happen.
Through an interview with Ramon and Lieutenant Michael Atkins, we hear how they faked his death to catch Lulu in the act, and ultimately put her in prison for 20 years.
Peter Van Sant: When someone in a murder-for-hire case actually pays some money, have they crossed a threshold?
Lt. Mike Atkins: They have. It shows the level of intent. It shows the fact — that they are serious and that it’s — it’s come to a point where you can’t turn back.
Police had enough to arrest Lulu right there and then. But they had concerns; namely, Lulu’s claims of Ramon’s abuse.
Ramon Sosa: Lulu has never had any problems with the law, she’s a beautiful lady, a mother… we don’t wanna go to — to a jury trial and have one of the jurors feel sorry for her.
And so police told Ramon what they needed to do next.
Ramon Sosa: “We’re planning to take a picture of you — dead.”
PLAYING DEAD
For Ramon Sosa, the police sting to bring down Lulu seemed to be taking a cue from “Witchcraft,” the first song they ever danced to. One of the lyrics: “You want to send me to my cold tomb.”
Ramon Sosa: Yeah, we wanna take a picture of you dead. You know, like in a grave. And we’re gonna show it to her to show proof that the hit man did the job.
Lt. Mike Atkins: He was kind of dumbstruck. But then as it was explained to him, he was well onboard.
In order to get Ramon camera-ready, police first had to consult some experts.
Lt. Mike Atkins: Being a bunch of middle-aged men, we don’t, you know, we’re not exactly versed on applying makeup. So naturally we went to YouTube and learned how to apply makeup from — from teenage girls [laughs].
But they also had some deadly examples to follow.
Lt. Mike Atkins: Luckily we had no shortage of crime scene photos to — to use as references.
Ramon Sosa: The assistant D.A. was there and he brought out some pictures of actual dead people. People with bullet holes through their head. …They picked out the one that they thought that was gonna be the best one.
Peter Van Sant: And they showed you that picture?
Ramon Sosa: Yeah, I was horrified.
