Jurors endured seeing gruesome crime photos and hearing gory details in the trial of a man accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend and aunt in a Christmas Day double-murder case.
El Paso Fire Department paramedics testified on the third day of the capital murder trial against Gabriel Antonio Ramirez, who allegedly fatally stabbed his 79-year-old aunt Irma Ramirez and his 24-year-old girlfriend Kathia Rosales on Christmas Day 2022.
Irma Ramirez was fatally stabbed with a large kitchen knife at her house on Dec. 25, 2022 in the 3700 block of Truman Avenue in Central El Paso. Rosales' body was found the next day inside a car taken from Irma Ramirez's house.
Prosecutors allege that Gabriel Ramirez killed the two women after he was "triggered" by
a rejected marriage proposal to Rosales.
Firefighter and paramedic David Guzman testified he found Rosales in the back of a car as he responded to a 911 call about Gabriel Ramirez bleeding profusely from his neck and wrists, acting "erratic and combative" outside a house in the 500 block of Gregory Avenue in West El Paso. The 911 call came on Dec. 26, 2022.
Rosales was wearing green shorts and a black top when she was found dead, with her legs appearing to be in the front passenger seat and the rest of her body in the back seats. The black top was lifted over her stomach, showing a gruesome injury. Her stomach had a large cut across it, with her intestines falling out. Rosales' body was covered in blood.
Guzman immediately knew it was a crime scene, so he closed the car door, secured the scene and reported his findings to the El Paso Police Department.
El Paso Fire Department paramedic Carlos Guardado, who also responded to the call, testified that he believed Rosales' body had been in the car for more than five hours, as her body was already in a state of rigor mortis.
'How is his head still on?'
As they waited for police to arrive, the paramedics continued to provide medical treatment to Gabriel Ramirez. Police believe his injuries were self-inflicted.
Gabriel Ramirez had "severe" cuts to his neck and wrists. One of the cuts on his neck was about four inches deep, with paramedics able to see inside his neck, Guzman testified. The blood from Gabriel Ramirez's neck was dried and black, leading Guzman to believe the cuts happened hours before paramedics arrived.
"How is his head still on?" Guzman testified about his reaction when seeing Gabriel Ramirez's injuries.
Gabriel Ramirez was combative and acting erratically as the paramedics tried to help him. He was mumbling, refused to answer questions, and continuously asked for water, the paramedics testified. Gabriel Ramirez was taken to University Medical Center of El Paso, where he was treated before being booked into the El Paso County jail on Dec. 31, 2022.
Ramirez's attorneys Francisco F. Macias and Luis Yañez focused their questions on how the paramedics knew the wounds were self-inflicted when they did not see Gabriel Ramirez cut himself. The paramedics responded that they came to that conclusion based on their years of medical experience.
Former El Paso police officer Ruben Cardenas was the first officer to arrive to the house. He testified that he noticed the car Rosales' body was found in was a vehicle reported missing from Irma Ramirez's house and was being sought in connection with her death.
Death penalty not sought in El Paso capital murder trial
Testimony continued on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 19, with more witnesses expected to testify. The trial is expected to last until next week.
Gabriel Ramirez is facing one count each of capital murder and murder. If convicted on the capital murder charge, he will automatically be sentenced to life in prison since the El Paso District Attorney's Office is not seeking the death penalty.
Assistant District Attorneys Josh Avila and Hassan Hassan are prosecuting the case for the El Paso District Attorney's Office. Judge Patricia C. Baca of the 346th District Court is presiding over the trial at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Jury hears grisly details of Christmas murders as suspect faces life
