Loved ones gathered outside a local barbershop Thursday to honor two young barbers found dead inside a Hialeah apartment, lighting candles and sharing memories of the men whose lives were cut tragically short.
Remembering Kevin Ramirez and Cristian Contreras
Friends, family and community members held a vigil outside Billionaire Barber in Hialeah, where 20-year-old Cristian Contreras and 18-year-old Kevin Ramirez once worked.
Contreras had an active chair at the shop and Ramirez had previously worked there.
On Instagram, both young men had shared photos of their barbering work, posts that now serve as painful reminders of their passion and potential.
“They were like little brothers of mine,” said Jose Solis, owner of Billionaire Barber. “They helped me build this brand. They helped me build the shop.”
Solis said the two often kept an eye on the business when he was away.
“I was mainly the outsourced barber. And I would ride around the streets in a barber van,” he said.
Ongoing investigation into mysterious deaths
Hialeah police said Ramirez and Contreras were found dead inside an apartment at the Atlantic at Aquabella complex off West 36th Avenue near West 113th Street around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.
While authorities have not released details on how the men died, those close to them say the loss is deeply felt.
“You know, they were great kids. There’s not so much I could say. They were great kids to their community,” said Solis.
The Hialeah Police Department is urging anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.
