Posted: 12/10/2007 9:43:46 AM EDT
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This story from the beginning of the month so I do not know if it has been covered yet. www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2007/12/01/news/00lead.txt Published - Saturday, December 01, 2007 Jury finds Ramirez guilty of murder: Verdict ‘bittersweet’ for victim’s family By DAN SPRINGER, La Crosse Tribune . The uncle of a slain University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student called Irvin Ramirez’s conviction Friday in her beating death “bittersweet.” John Weger’s short description conveyed the satisfaction of knowing Ramirez, 25, will face a mandatory life prison sentence after a La Crosse County jury found him guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and attempted second-degree sexual assault in the Jan. 21 slaying of Danielle Gorectke The 23-year-old from Minocqua, Wis., had been visiting her sister, a former Viterbo University student, when they became separated at a downtown La Crosse bar just before closing time early Jan. 21. A snowplow driver found Gorectke’s battered, half-nude body about 8 a.m. that same day at the base of steps to Christ Covenant Church on Hwy. B. While it doesn’t lessen the pain of losing Gorectke in such a brutal and random fashion, the conviction does let the family take another step toward closure, Weger said. “Now they can start again to try to forget and put it behind them,” Weger said. It took the jury of six men and six women about 21/2 hours to find Ramirez, a Mexican national who admitted in court he had been living in Onalaska illegally, guilty on the two charges but innocent of robbery by use of force. Ramirez appeared to show no emotion when the verdicts were read. He later hugged his girlfriend in court before being taken back to jail. La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke said the split decision didn’t surprise him, even though Ramirez was caught with Gorectke’s purse and witnesses testified he had tried to use her bank card before he was arrested about 4 a.m. Jan. 21 at a Kwik Trip in La Crescent, Minn. “I think the motive for the crime was always sexual or financial or both,” Gruenke said. “The jury obviously decided it was a sexual motive, which is clear from the evidence. And it’s not surprising that they weren’t concerned with the financial part of the case.” In closing arguments Friday morning, Gruenke cited DNA and other evidence to suggest Ramirez picked up a drunken and lost Gorectke, drove her to the church parking lot, tried to force her to have sex and then viciously beat her when she refused. Ramirez likely pushed Gorectke down stairs at the church, Gruenke said, leaving her paralyzed from a spinal cord injury. He then stomped on her head hard enough to embed blood and hairs in his shoes, grabbed Gorectke by the ears and slammed her head into the concrete before biting off and spitting out part of her lip, Gruenke said. Before leaving the dying Gorectke, Ramirez did one more “degrading and despicable act” — he urinated on her, unwittingly leaving behind another piece of DNA evidence, Gruenke said. Ramirez had painted a different scenario Thursday, testifying he had stopped on a dark downtown street to urinate just after 3 a.m. Jan. 21 when he found a purse on the sidewalk. He then was startled when a bloody-faced woman grabbed his leg as he relieved himself against a building. He got Gorectke’s blood on his jacket, jeans, shoes and watch as he unsuccessfully tried to get her to his car, he said, but eventually he left her with his cellular phone so she could call for help. Ramirez said he was unwilling to make the call himself because of his illegal status and fear he would be blamed for her injuries. Defense attorney Ronald Benavides on Friday called his client’s decision to leave “the stupid actions of a drunk man” but said Ramirez’s fear was understandable. Ramirez insisted Thursday the woman was never in his car and he was never at the church, even though a forensic pathologist earlier had testified the amount of blood at the scene shows Gorectke was assaulted and killed at the church. Traces of Ramirez’s DNA also were on a piece of Gorectke’s lip found at the church. After the verdict, Benavides said it was clear the jury did not accept what Ramirez told them about that morning. “I think the jury considered two accountings of the same set of facts, and it appears they made the decision as to which version they believed to be reasonable,” Benavides said. Ramirez asked La Crosse County Circuit Judge Ramona Gonzalez to send him to prison immediately, even though his sentencing isn’t expected to happen until early next year. Gonzalez initially rejected the request until she can find out whether it is legal. Although the homicide charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, Wisconsin law gives the judge the option of setting a date for release on extended supervision after a convicted killer has served at least 20 years. Gonzalez all but urged Ramirez to reveal what happened that night before his sentencing, to help the Gorectke family heal, as he likely is the only living person who has that knowledge. The judge Friday told Ramirez she will take into consideration whatever he tells the Department of Corrections caseworker preparing the pre-sentence recommendation. While Ramirez is in the U.S. illegally and had a forged Wisconsin identification card, it appears he will not face deportation until he serves his sentence, Gruenke said. Dan Springer can be reached at [email protected] or (608) 791-8269. |
