People v. Ramazzini CA3

BACKGROUND

A. The Murder The facts of the murder are taken from our nonpublished opinion, People v. Ramazzini (Nov. 22, 1999, C030293), affirming the criminal judgment in defendant’s original appeal. On July 16, 1997, the parents of Erik Ingebretsen (a 16-year-old male who lived in Colusa, California) reported him missing. Defendant, also 16 years old at the time, told law enforcement that he and Ingebretsen were best friends. He claimed the last time he saw Ingebretsen was around 11:00 a.m. on the 15th at defendant’s house. Law enforcement went to defendant’s house around 7:30 p.m. on July 16. Defendant’s father showed officers his Lincoln Continental, the car his son borrowed the night before. There were bloodstains on the front passenger armrest, seat, and floor. Later, officers found blood on the outside of the car as well. Defendant’s father said he did not know how the blood got on the car.

2 Defendant was interviewed again after his father’s car had been searched. He speculated that the blood might have gotten on the car earlier in the year when he had too much to drink and threw up in the car. Ingebretsen’s body was discovered about 3:00 p.m. on July 17 in a wooded area…