Thread: Painesville man pleads guilty to crime spree, avoids death penalty

Painesville man pleads guilty to crime spree, avoids death penalty

VIDEO - http://www.morningjournal.com/genera...-death-penalty

By Tracey Read, The News-Herald
Posted: 03/14/16, 3:48 PM EDT | Updated: 1 week agO

As Juan Manuel Razo Ramirez admitted raping and killing a Concord Township woman at her home during a crime spree, Lake County Prosecutor Charles Coulson released new details about the case.

Ramirez, 36, pleaded guilty to a 16-count indictment March 14 in Lake County Common Pleas Court.

In exchange, prosecutors have agreed to dismiss death penalty specifications against Ramirez, a.k.a. Juan Razo.

It all began the morning of July 27, when Ramirez asked his 14-year-old niece to drive with him to Lake Metroparks Helen Hazen Wyman Park in Concord Township.



Juan Manuel Razo Ramirez pleads guilty to all charges and avoids death penalty specifications
March 14 in Lake County Common Pleas Court. At left, Assistant Public Defender Sara Tackett
confers with Ramirez in Spanish. At right is Lake County Public Defender Charles R. Grieshammer.
Duncan Scott – The News-Herald

“He took her to a more secluded area,” Coulson said. “When they got there, he asked her if she wanted to play doctor. She said no. She had to fight him off. She kicked him in the groin, ran away and reported the crime. He said he had a knife.”

Razo then decided to break into an unoccupied home on Ravenna Road in Concord Township.

“He opened some wine, found a .22-caliber rifle and ammo and took those,” Coulson said.

Unfortunately, one of the residents, 60-year-old Margaret “Peggy” Kostelnik, then came home to find Ramirez inside.

“He grabbed her. He tied her up with a dog collar,” the prosecutor said. “He forced himself on her. He shot her three times with the rifle.”

Kostelnik died of her gunshot wounds.

Ramirez then took the rifle with him to the Greenway Corridor in the Concord and Painesville areas.

“He saw (Painesville resident) Mary Kable with her two children,” said Coulson. “He fired at her five times, hitting her once in the arm. She and her children ran.”

Next, three officers — Lake County Sheriff’s Capt. Carl Dondorfer, Lake County Sheriff’s Sgt. Patrick Paterson and Geauga County Sheriff’s Deputy Steve Deardowski — found Ramirez hiding in a wooded ravine. Ramirez fired at them once, and the gun jammed. The deputies returned fire and arrested Ramirez.

At the police station, Ramirez confessed to all of the crimes.

“He said he shot Margaret Kostelnik because she wouldn’t voluntarily give him sex,” Coulson said. “He said he shot Mary Kable because he wanted to see her fall.”

Ramirez, a Mexican citizen who does not have lawful permanent residence in the United States, had no prior criminal record in America or Mexico, Lake County Public Defender Charles Grieshammer said.

A Spanish-speaking psychologist found that Ramirez — who has a second-grade education — suffers from schizophrenia and social anxiety, and is on the autism spectrum.

However, the psychologist still found Ramirez was competent to stand trial.

Ramirez pleaded guilty to two counts each of: aggravated murder, attempted murder, attempted rape, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and felonious assault. He also pleaded guilty to one count of rape and three counts of kidnapping.

Ramirez will be sentenced April 27 by Judge John P. O’Donnell.


http://www.morningjournal.com/general-news/20160314/painesville-man-pleads-guilty-to-crime-spree-avoids-death-penalty

Related:

http://www.alipac.us/f12/lake-county...ic-sto-321609/