Mexican officials said on Monday they arrested a 20-year old man for the murder of a U.S. Airways flight attendant strangled to death in his hotel room during a layover stop in Mexico City.
Nick Aaronson, 27, was found bound and face down next to his hotel bed in Mexico City after he picked up the 20-year-old Jose Luis Ramirez at a nearby bar, Mexico City prosecutors said. Ramirez, known as "The Shadow," beat Aaronson, strangling him with a belt before fleeing with his money, they said.
Security cameras showed the two entering the hotel, with Aaronson signing Ramirez in as a guest.
Ramirez, who has been in jail before, admitted to entering Aaronson's room and beating him.
He shaved his head to avoid detection but authorities found him around the same bar in Mexico City's historical center where he and Aaronson first met.
Anita Aaronson, Nick's mother, poured out her emotion on her Facebook page, posting videos of the young redhead singing karaoke. She said on Sunday the Federal Bureau of Investigation called her to say her son's killer was in custody.
"I can't stop thinking about my boy, he died in such an awful way, I keep thinking of his pain and fear," she wrote.
"My beautiful boy I can't stop crying I want him back."
(This story was corrected to remove reference to prostitute)