SAN ANGELO, TX – Erick Ramos, 19, one of three charged with the capital murder of Juan Guerrero and Zane Lopez, appeared in court Thursday morning for a plea hearing.
On March 26, 2016, Ramos drove co-defendants Angel Fred Garcia, 18, and Gilberto Salvador Reyes, 19, to the scene where they shot and killed Lopez and Guerrero.
Ramos confessed to Detectives that he was aware of the plan to kill Lopez. Ramos drove the vehicle into the alley behind the residence, letting Garcia and Reyes out of the vehicle.
Moments later, Ramos heard shots fired and waited for Garcia and Reyes to return to the vehicle. Ramos then drove away from the scene.
On Thursday, Ramos sat before the Judge Weatherby with his court-appointed attorney Frank Brown and District Attorney Allison Palmer.
The plea deal would charge Ramos with two counts of murder, instead of the full range of punishment for Capital Murder.
After discussing the plea deal, Judge Weatherby asked Ramos to stand for his plea.
Ramos pled, “not guilty”, to the Capital Murder of Multiple Persons charge and "guilty," to two counts of murder offered in the plea deal.
"I find beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty of murder," Weatherby told Ramos.
Ramos was sentenced to 30 years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Following his sentencing, the State allowed for the victim’s family to speak on behalf of the deceased.
Catalina Blanco, mother of Zane Lopez, spoke of the challenge it has been for her and Lopez's father since the shooting.
“There is not a day that goes by that we don’t think about [Zane],” Blanco said to the Ramos. “Your actions cost Zane his life. Death should never have been an option.”
Ramos remained motionless facing forward in his seat.
Next to speak was Maribel Guerrero, mother of Juan Guerrero.
Guerrero, reminded Ramos that he was the driver that night and he had an opportunity to change the outcome.
“I want these kids to stay in prison, and I honestly hope they never make it out,” Guerrero said. “They did not act alone, and there is still someone walking free on the same streets as my son used to.”
Guerrero claims Joe Lopez, who she said was inside the residence the night of the shooting and father of Zane, withheld information in the investigation.
“Joe Lopez was the only one who knew there were two empty bullet casings by their bodies,” Guerrero stated. She also claimed he took the time to tamper with the crime scene before calling 9-1-1.
“My son was innocent, and he was not the target that night,” Guerrero told the court. “There has been a lot left unanswered Judge [Weatherby], and I will not rest until justice has been served for the murder of my son.”
Guerrero also voiced her disagreement with the 35-year sentence that Garcia was issued in May.
After the victim impact statements were concluded, the State rested and Judge Weatherby adjourned the hearing. Ramos was turned over to the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office detention officers for transportation to prison.
Reyes is the third suspect in the shooting. He has a pre-trial scheduled for Aug. 2 to prepare for the jury trial in October.
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