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U.S. senator probing Santa Maria murder case

August 12, 2015
Victor Aureliano Martinez Ramirez

Victor Aureliano Martinez Ramirez

The chairman of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee is investigating the background of an illegal immigrant, whom he says was allowed to murder a Santa Maria woman because of a dysfunctional immigration system.

Last month, Victor Aureliano Martinez Ramirez, an illegal immigrant, and a co-defendant broke into the home of 64-year-old Marilyn Pharis while she was sleeping. They beat her with a hammer and sexually assaulted her, according to Santa Maria police. Pharis died eight days after the attack, and both men are now charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances of burglary, mayhem and rape.

On Tuesday, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) sent a letter to the head of the Department of Homeland Security demanding details about Martinez Ramirez’s immigration and criminal background. The letter questions why Martinez Ramirez was not deported following prior arrests and convictions.

Grassley’s letter states Martinez Ramirez was released from custody just five days prior to the attack on Pharis, which occurred on July 25.

Grassley cites Santa Maria Police Chief Ralph Martin as saying, on July 17, Martinez Ramirez was arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Shortly following, Martinez Ramirez was convicted of a weapons charge that arose from the drug arrest.

On July 20, Martinez Ramirez was released from custody with the understanding he would serve a 30-day jail sentence, starting in October, for weapons-related conviction. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not file a detainer request because Martinez Ramirez’s case history did not show any deportations or felony convictions, the letter states.

Martinez Ramirez has been arrested several times since 2009, including a May 2014 arrest on felony drug and sexual assault charges. In that case, the felony charges were dropped, but ICE did file a detainer.

The detainer was ignored because of a local sanctuary policy, Grassley alleges. City officials, however, say Santa Maria is not a sanctuary city.

Santa Maria Police Chief Ralph Martin has pinned blame for Pharis’s death on state and federal lawmakers. Grassley quoted Martin in his letter.

“I am not remiss to say that from Washington, D.C. to Sacramento there’s a blood trail into the bedroom of Marilyn Pharis,” Martin is quoted as saying.

Days following the attack in Santa Maria, Paso Robles police arrested a man for beating the 2-year-old daughter of his girlfriend. The suspect, Francisco Javier Chavez, is also an illegal immigrant with an extensive criminal history.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office released Chavez from jail on July 31, the day following his arrest. Following the incident, Sheriff Ian Parkinson released a statement say a 2014 ruling in a federal court case prohibits sheriffs from keeping illegal immigrants in jail on ICE holds.


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Question: What was the new ICE facility just built in Santa Maria for again?

Yes Sheriff, the blood trail leads directly from DC to Sac to Santa Maria. Just follow the money and connect the dots…

This has been going on for decades unchecked in California and only now that these horrific crimes are getting any media attention at all and only because Donald Trump is calling out all politicians for lack of any illegal immigrant solutions during an election year.

IMHO, this crime and the many others will all blow over and be swept under the carpet right after the coming election…


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And others like him.


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What a scumbag. Send him to ISIS


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Mr. Ramirez, how will you contribute to make the United States a better more prosperous country? If he can’t answer this question he needs to leave, quickly.


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Sounds familiar. A famous progressive at the turn of the 20th century once asked something similar (albeit more generalized – you know, they like to think globally).


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slojustice – I surely hope you’re being sacastic…since this ANIMAL should not be given the opportunity to “contribute” diddly-squat “to make the United States a better more prosperous country.” As far as many are concerned he should be locked up or better yet be put to death since he is just a menance to society! Raping and murdering a 64 year old woman and having several incounters with the breaking the law – only in addition to the fact that he was in the USA ILLEGALLY is UNACCEPTABLE on so many levels. We need to ask HIM nothing but to make sure he pays his debt to society!


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That would take common sense.


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Sorry the above was in response to SpeakTruth.


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I’d say that we need a new federal court ruling. What the hell is going on?


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Martinez Ramirez has been arrested several times since 2009, including a May 2014 arrest on felony drug and sexual assault charges. In that case, the felony charges were dropped, but ICE did file a detainer. Grassley cites Santa Maria Police Chief Ralph Martin as saying, on July 17, Martinez Ramirez was arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Shortly following, Martinez Ramirez was convicted of a weapons charge that arose from the drug arrest. On July 20, Martinez Ramirez was released from custody with the understanding he would serve a 30-day jail sentence

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What a joke. This clown was a career criminal and was treated better than a U.S. citizen. If you are illegal and you get convicted of any type of crime of moral turpitude, as soon as you are done serving your time you are released to the custody of INS and get on a bus back to Mexico.


If you come to America, the least you can do is refrain from criminality. If you can’t reach that bar, we certainly don’t want you.


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Such a sad story, no one is safe these days.


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We are a nation of insane hurtful laws. Are we screwed or is change coming after the 2016 elections?


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Gee are we not promised change after every election? The only change we get is pennies back from our dollars to support illegals etc.


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“Sheriff Ian Parkinson released a statement say a 2014 ruling in a federal court case prohibits sheriffs from keeping illegal immigrants in jail on ICE holds.”


Instead of asking sheriffs to hold illegal immigrant, maybe ICE should be sitting there in the parking lot ready to take them into custody the moment they are released from jail?


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