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Washington State Man Held on $1 Million Bail
A Connell, Washington man was arrested for killing his girlfriend and son and was held on $1 million bail (records from provider of bail bonds in Las Vegas).
Prudencio Juan Fragos-Ramirez was scheduled to return to court on July 14 faced two counts of first-degree murder. The charges said Fragos-Ramirez acted with premeditation when he shot Maria G. Cruz-Cavillo, 18 and Luis Lopez-Crus, 3. After he shot the two, he set their car on fire in a ravine near Scooteney Reservoir. Dan Blasdel, the county coroner, said the boy was probably alive when the car was set afire.
Fragoso-Ramirez was arrested shortly after the start of the investigation less than one-mile where the bodies were found in the smoldering car.
Lawyers took four days to select a jury before presenting their respective sides to the case.
Fragoso-Ramirez’s attorney, Scott Johnson, claimed there was no evidence that his client was responsible or the deaths.
“At this moment, somewhere out there, a person has a terrible secret,” Johnson told the jury. “Someone knows how two people were killed and someone knows why they were killed.”
Cruz-Calvillo and Fragos-Ramirez met in February 2015 and had just been dating him a few weeks before being killed on July 2.
“The last individual to see Maria and Luis alive was Fragos-Ramirez,” Prosecutor Dave Corkrum said. “He was the first person to see them dead because he murdered them.”
Victim’s Mother and Grandmother Speak to Jury
Maria de Jesus Cruz-Calvillo, the victim’s mother, told the jury, “The killings changed life for each of us. He (Fragos-Ramirez) didn’t need to hurt anyone. I ask, ‘why did he do that’?” Following the murders, Jesus Cruz-Calvillo moved out of her house for four months. “Everything reminded me f my daughter and grandson,” she said.
Jesus Cruz-Calvillo is now scared of the dark and frightened of being alone. She says Fragos-Ramirez killed her that day as well.
“Even if he stays in prison his whole lie, I’m not pleased as he created a lot of damage to my family and me.”
Maria Cruz-Calvillo and her son went shopping at Pasco when a next-door-neighbor noticed them stop by Fragos-Ramirez’s house.
Less than 30-minutes after the visit; smoke was seen in a nearby ravine. Firefighters were extinguishing the flames when they observed two figures inside.
Prosecutors claimed Fragos-Ramirez killed the youthful mother as he was domineering and consumed with the 18-year old.
Defense lawyers maintained that Cruz-Calvillo had been marked by drug traffickers.
Fragos-Ramirez did not testify and was sentenced to life in prison for each of the murders.
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