Owner of El Ranchito restaurant opens up about deadly shooting

BOLIVAR, Tenn — Exactly two weeks ago police say 19-year-old Michael Ruiz was shot and killed at El Ranchito restaurant in Bolivar.

The owner of that restaurant, Maria Howell, is also the aunt of the teen. WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News sat down with Howell as she recounted the night of Michael’s death. She said there were seven employees inside at the time of the shooting, including herself.

A business usually filled with happy customers ready to dine, has been a place of emptiness ever since the deadly shooting. Owner of El Ranchito restaurant, Maria Howell, described the night as horrific.

“I don’t believe I’ll ever be able to understand it,” Howell said.

Howell says she and six other employees were working the night of the incident. She says two employees had guns held to their heads. Three suspects were taken into custody the following day, two juveniles and one adult. The adult has been identified as John Gray, who was an employee.

“He was a friend, or Michael thought he was a friend and needed help so he came and asked me to hire him,” Howell explained.

Howell said Ruiz loved to help people anyway he could and had plans to further his education after graduating high school.

“Michael was a wonderful soul,” Howell said. “Loving, hard-working, honest.”

The teen had been working at the family restaurant for years. “Ever since he was tall enough to reach a table or a sink,” Howell said.

Maria Howell said there is a table that will forever bear Michael’s name.

“This was Michael’s favorite spot, he sat here every time he came to work he sat right here,” Howell said.

Although the past two weeks has been a tough time for the family, Howell has continued to press on as she prepares to re-open.

“As soon as we get back to work and we get back to what we do best we’ll be okay,” Howell explained.

Howell said the three suspects are scheduled to be back in court next week. She also told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News she is working to combat gun violence so that this does not happen again to anyone else. Howell says she’s also in the process of petitioning the court for stricter gun policies with regards to minors.

Howell is petitioning the court to try all of the suspects as adults, and accept no plea bargain for a lesser sentence.

Although the restaurant has been closed since March 20, Howell held a soft opening, Tuesday night. She said she plans to fully re-open by Wednesday, April 4.