Viswa Vanapalli
When Laura Day brought her stepson, Taylor Syring, to a hospital, he was sadly pronounced dead. She claimed that the six-year-old drowned in the water at a local beach. While everybody initially thought it was an unfortunate accident, an investigation proved otherwise. ABC News’ ‘20/20: Wave of Deceit’ shines a light on Taylor’s murder inquiry and how Rene Ruiz, an eyewitness at the beach, provided insight into Laura’s behavior on the day of the incident. So, if you’re curious to find out more, here’s what we know.
Who is Rene Ruiz?
On October 5, 2012, Laura picked Taylor up from school, and they headed out to a beach in Corpus Christi, where they lived. But tragedy struck that afternoon while he was in the water. Laura claimed that she lost Taylor in the brief moment that she turned around to head back to the beach. According to her, the six-year-old resurfaced soon, leading to a drive to a hospital; he had drowned in the water.
While the authorities were trying to understand what happened, an eyewitness came forward with crucial information, turning the case around. Rene Ruiz, who was fishing at the beach on the same afternoon, told the police about what he saw. While on his way to the beach, Rene drove past Laura’s parked car and noticed her going into the water. At that time, he remembered seeing her gesture toward Taylor to join her.
Then, after Rene arrived at his fishing spot, he suddenly lost sight of the duo. However, he saw Laura soon after, but she was closer to him this time. While Laura was there for about thirty minutes, Rene didn’t remember seeing Taylor during that time. After that, in a chilling development, Rene claimed that Laura waved at him while leaving and had an “ear-to-ear grin” on her face.
Where is Rene Ruiz Today?
Rene’s revelation about Laura grinning stunned the authorities. Brittany Jensen, a former prosecutor, mentioned, “The most upsetting, troubling, telling thing that Rene Ruiz said, is that when she ultimately left the beach – now remember, according to her, she has a dying boy in the back of her car – she waved and smiled at him, as she drove off the beach.” Ultimately, Rene’s testimony proved to be significant in landing a conviction. Since then, though, it seems that Rene has maintained a low profile. Not much is known about what he currently does, with his last known location being Corpus Christi.
Read More: Where is Laura Day Now?
