Boyfriend charged with murder; family identifies woman hit, killed with baseball bat

HOUSTON – Police said a man confessed to beating his girlfriend to death Sunday and has been charged with murder.

Family members said the victim is 60-year-old Charlene Cadwell and her boyfriend was identified as Paul Ramirez by police. Family said Charlene also went by the name Charlene Gauthe. 

Investigators said the mother and grandmother had been dating Ramirez for two years. A baseball bat was collected by investigators at the scene as evidence.

Cadwell's sister said the couple had been arguing all day and that Ramirez broke into her house on Sidney and Basil while the family was sleeping.

The sister said Cadwell ran out of the house and Ramirez followed her and beat her with the bat. Cadwell died at the hospital.

"I heard him actually beating her with the baseball bat. It was horrible and there was nothing I could do. If I would’ve gone out there, he would’ve laid into me. I would’ve been dead, too," the sister, Patrice Erikson, said.

Ramirez was arrested. Members of the family said they called police multiple times throughout the day Saturday to get Ramirez to leave, but he returned early Sunday morning.