In the quiet little town of Orange, California, where history seems to live in every house, a tragedy happened that shook the whole community. Marabel Ramos wasn’t just a neighbor or a student. She was an army veteran, a loving family member, and someone who would do anything for her friends. But one evening, her life was suddenly cut short, and nobody could have guessed who was behind it.
Her disappearance quickly turned into an absolute nightmare for her loved ones. The police were met with mysterious evidence, and the only suspect was someone she trusted more than anyone else. The way he acted, the circumstances around it, it just made everything seem even more suspicious. And people couldn’t stop asking themselves, could this have been prevented.
Every move the investigators made revealed shocking new details, leaving family and friends desperate for answers. Was this a crime of opportunity, or was it all carefully planned? The truth slowly started to come to light, leaving everyone on the edge of their seats. This story will make you rethink everything you know about trust, obsession, and the kind of danger that might be hiding right next door.
Welcome back to the channel. But before we dive in, friends, if you enjoy this video, make sure to hit that subscribe button and give us a like. Okay, so Orange, California up in Northern Orange County is this charming little town with a super vibrant historic downtown. They’ve got over 400 original homes from the 19th and early 20th centuries still standing.
You can wander through these narrow streets lined with cozy cafes, restaurants, and little shops just soaking up that classic small town American vibe. Orange is also known for its cultural events, farmers markets, and it’s really close to beaches and parks, making it the perfect spot for a chill day out and a peak into California’s history.
Now, 36-year-old Marabel Ramos, she really stood out. Ever since she was a kid, she was ambitious, hardworking, compassionate, and just an amazing friend. She was super close to her family and often took on extra motherly duties because her mom worked two jobs just to keep everything going. Ever since she was little, Marabel dreamed of working in law enforcement, ideally the police.
After finishing school, she started out as a security guard, but then she made a big decision. In August of 2001, she joined the US Army, hoping it would open more doors for her future. It’s 8:52 here in New York. I’m Bryant Gumble. We understand that there has been a plane crash on the southern tip of Manhattan.
You’re looking at the uh World Trade Center. We understand that a plane has crashed into the World Trade Center. We don’t know anything more than that. We don’t know if it was a commercial aircraft. Yeah. Now, remember Oh my god. My god. That looks like a second plane. After the devastation of September 11th, 2001, Marabel was sent overseas to serve in Iraq, where she went through two grueling and dangerous tours.
With constant stress and life-threatening situations, she showed incredible resilience, discipline, and professionalism, which eventually earned her the rank of sergeant. She finished her service in 2008, honorably discharged, leaving behind a reputation as a dedicated and reliable soldier. But Marbel wasn’t ready to stop there.
She decided to continue her education and enrolled at California State University in Fullerton to study criminal law, a field that perfectly combined her strong sense of justice with her desire to help people. At the same time, she moved into a small apartment with her mom, trying to create a stable and peaceful home life after years of constant change and danger.
After graduation, her biggest dream became working for the US Department of Veterans Affairs, supporting others who, like her, had gone through military service. In 2009, Marabel faced a huge personal loss. Her mom passed away. Suddenly, she was living alone, and to fill the emptiness and feel some support, she posted an ad on Craigslist looking for someone to live with her.
She got a lot of responses, but one in particular caught her attention. Quang Chol Joy, who went by Casey. He wasn’t just looking for a new place to live. He was looking for a fresh start after losing his parents. Their connection was immediate, easy, and natural. Like there was this quiet understanding between them.
Casey was reserved, quiet, and private. While Marabel, juggling school and work, was looking for a calm and steady home environment. 54year-old Casey said he saw Marabel like a sister. They spent a lot of time together, sharing little joys and struggles. He even started helping her niece with math, putting in patience and care that really showed his thoughtful side.
By the summer of 2013, Marabel’s life was full-on busy. She had just started dating Paul Lopez, and the relationship was going well, bringing new excitement and emotions into her days. At the same time, she was invited to speak at a prestigious conference in Chicago where she would talk about her transition from military to civilian life, a big milestone for her career.
And on top of all that, she was preparing for her upcoming graduation, which was set to symbolize a whole new chapter in her life. Her days were packed with a ton of stuff. She had a hairdresser appointment, shopping trips with her niece, Jazelle, and preparations for some really important events.
Her sister Lucy kept saying that graduation was going to mark a whole new chapter in Marabel’s life. Even though the past few years had been busy and exciting, school and all her responsibilities completely consumed her, leaving hardly any time for rest or a personal life. Marabel dreamed of traveling, spending more time with friends and family, thinking about a future of her own kids, a new home, a place that really felt like home.
She was already planning for a calmer, more balanced life. after years of constant change and chaos. Then on May 3rd, 2013, her roommate Casey started to get worried. He reached out to Lucy, asking if she’d heard from Marabel. He mentioned that her car was still parked in the same spot and that her classes had been over for a while, which only made him more anxious.
It seemed like she hadn’t even left for class that day. Lucy, not knowing anything herself, tried to calm him down, suggesting that maybe Marabel was just stressed with everything on her plate. She loved long walks with her dog and trips into nature, so it was totally possible she was just out there trying to recharge and find some peace.
But Casey couldn’t shake the worry and eventually he decided to call the police. Orange police dispatcher. I remember she’s 36 years old and she didn’t come home last night. Okay. Did you want to make a missing person report? Is that what you’re wanting to do? Yeah. Yeah. I I left the cell phone message and call me back.
No, she got to school today. Nor she would show up today. Do you know if she was at school? No. Her car is there. She ran out last night. She didn’t come home. A few hours later, Lucy got even more worrying news. Marabel had missed her weekly softball game, a game she never skipped because she always took her commitments seriously.
On top of that, she didn’t show up at her job on campus where she was expected first thing in the morning. Even being 3 minutes late would stress her out, so not showing up at all without any notice. That was completely out of character. This wasn’t just a break from her normal routine. It was a red flag that something was seriously wrong.
Lucy and their cousin headed over to her apartment, hoping to get some kind of clue about what was happening. But the door was locked and nobody answered when they knocked. Marabel’s car was still parked in the same spot, like she had left in a hurry or vanished suddenly. Even more unsettling, they could clearly hear her dog inside, whining and running from room to room.
Lucy remembered feeling a wave of panic hit her at that moment. Something terrible was hanging in the air, and with every second, that feeling only grew stronger. They called the police again to add this new information to the missing person report Casey had already filed. Officers arrived at the 1800 block of East Rose Street, but all they were met with was tense silence.
The yard showed no sign of movement, and inside nothing immediately screamed danger. The police forced their way in, but at first glance, everything seemed oddly normal. Windows weren’t broken, locks weren’t tampered with, no chaos, no signs of a struggle. The apartment felt frozen in time, empty yet heavy with unease.
But when Lucy stepped into the bedroom, a chill ran through her. The bed wasn’t made, the blanket was shifted, and the pillowcase was missing, just gone, and that instantly felt horribly wrong. Marabel was extremely neat and meticulous. She lived by strict routines she had learned in the army. She would never, under any circumstances, leave her bed like that.
The police immediately recognized this as a serious warning sign. They didn’t waste a second and called in the homicide investigation unit, which in itself said a lot. When Casey got home from his trip, he went straight to the police to share his last conversation with Marabel. According to him, everything had seemed completely normal.
They talked like always, calm and routine with no hints of conflict or changes in her mood. No one just takes her somewhere against her will. He insisted she’s really stubborn, smart as a whip. I left the apartment, came back at 9:00, and she was gone. He suggested that maybe Paul or someone else might have picked her up, but Paul confirmed he hadn’t.
He didn’t drive her anywhere, and he hadn’t heard from her. With every new detail, it became harder to believe that her disappearance could have been voluntary. Her bank cards, her purse, her keys, her phone, everything had vanished with her. And the most troubling part, zero activity, no charges, no calls, no texts. It was as if her life had just stopped.
Her phone was shut off. The last few calls on record were from Paul. That’s why police considered him a key person to talk to. He might have known what she said in those final hours, where she planned to go or whether she sounded worried about something. Meanwhile, her family, friends, and roommates were doing everything they could.
Speaking to the media, putting up flyers all over the neighborhood, and sharing Marbel’s story with anyone who might be able to help. Lucy said, “There is absolutely something wrong here. My sister is missing. I know she didn’t just decide to walk away and disappear. Sure, she had moments where emotions ran high, but never enough to fall into depression or abandon everything.
She would never just wander off aimlessly or, God forbid, hurt herself. That’s not who she is. Not even close.” ‘s neighborhood where she was last seen sometime Thursday night between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. It’s one of the details listed on this flyer that family and friends are passing out as we speak, hoping that someone saw something.
Right now, there are very few clues as to what happened to her, but police are saying her disappearance is considered suspic. Her apartment complex was pretty well covered with cameras, but unfortunately, most of them weren’t aimed directly at her unit. Since she and Casey could park on the street, the cameras overlooking the parking lot were probably pretty useless, too.
Residents paid their rent by dropping money into a small box in the manager’s office, and the cameras there did catch Marabel leaving her check the day before she disappeared. Nobody else was around when she dropped it off and walked back. It was 8:30 in the evening, and she was wearing pajama pants and a vest, so it’s pretty likely that she was planning to go to bed not long after that.
You guys have been helping us. We still need to continue this. We need to find Marbel. Family and friends of Marbel Ramos held a prayer vigil at Calvary Church of Santa Ana Monday night, urging everyone to step up and help find Ramos, who has been missing since May 2nd. And we still need to continue having faith because we are going to find her.
She is going to come home to us. We are going to hug her again. If you know of anybody that knows anything and they’re afraid to talk because let’s face it, some of us are not legally here. So, if anybody’s afraid because of that, email them. You email an anonymous email will help. Orange police detectives believe Ramos’s disappearance is suspicious.
Ramos is an Army veteran who served in South Korea and Iraq. She fought for us, our family, our country. I mean, I mean, she’s airborne paratrooper. I mean, I can’t even do that. I’m afraid of heights. Anyone with information about the disappearance of Marabel Ramos is asked to call the Orange Police Department at 7147447403 or visit findindmarabel.com.
What we really want to say if somebody knows something, please don’t be afraid. Please call the police. Say anything. If it’s something little that you know, anything, please helps. We just want her home safe. Police quickly tracked down Paul and called him in for questioning. Knowing that even the smallest detail could be the key to figuring out what happened to Marabel, he admitted that their relationship was still very new and unstable. They weren’t exclusive.
He was seeing other people, but he didn’t know if she was seeing anyone else. Don’t ask, don’t tell, he joked during the interview, trying to keep things light. But at the police station, it only added tension. Every word he said was analyzed, every nuance carefully examined. From the timeline, it was clear that the last day Marabel was seen alive was Thursday, May 2nd.
Paul had worked that day from 4:00 in the afternoon until midnight, which could easily be confirmed by his schedule and his co-workers. They had been in regular contact by phone throughout the day, but they hadn’t met in person. His whereabouts and responses satisfied the police completely, and he cooperated willingly, offering any details that could help the investigation.
He even let investigators check his truck, which had a GPS tracker, confirming he hadn’t been anywhere near Marabel’s apartment that day. Paul was effectively cleared as a suspect, though he still provided information for investigators to consider and analyze. As he left the police station, Paul mentioned her roommate, Casey.
He noted that their friendship had recently been strained. There had been plenty of tense moments between them, and the latest conflicts had made the apartment atmosphere even more stressful. The two often argued about money, especially overdue rent. According to Marabel, Casey’s life was a total mess, and it was really affecting their shared living situation, creating tension in the apartment.
The last major fight happened the same day Marabel was last seen. Paul had accidentally overheard part of it. She called him and put the phone on speaker. He only caught fragments of the conversation, but they sounded really heated. Marabel, fed up with the unpaid rent, had clearly told Casey that he needed to pack his things.
She insisted he move out the next day, even though she had been asking him for weeks to leave. Casey wanted to stay another two weeks, but refused to pay rent in advance, which only made the tension worse. Over the phone, Paul tried to step in, explaining that Casey needed to pack his things, or else Paul would handle it himself.
The conversation came across as a series of short, tense exchanges charged with emotional intensity. Paul even asked Marbel if she wanted him to come over and help since the tone of the call was so strained and heated. But Marabel stood her ground. She said she could handle it herself and added that she was already getting ready to go to bed.
She’s always talked about him in a frustrated way. Mhm. She’s always complained about him that like he doesn’t he never has his friend on time pretty much. She was like letting me know like his whole life was just going he was there in the living room. I heard him. I can hear him in the background. And she was pretty much telling me just she wants him out that he told that she told him that he’s going to be out tomorrow.
I kind of get like a little tough saying like, “All right, well, just make sure that he knows that if he’s not out by tomorrow that if his stuff isn’t out, then I’m going to get it and throw it out.” That was pretty much the end of the conversation. Then the police learned about a troubling 911 call Marabel had made less than 2 weeks before she disappeared.
I’m just calling to say this. If anything happens, it will only be because I’m defending myself. She said she was talking about Casey. Hi. It’s not an emergency, but I just um Is it recording? Is there a What is Is this conversation recording? Yes, every conversation is recorded. Why are you crying? Because I’m afraid.
What? Your roommate? We had a like discussion tonight and I honestly felt like I’m just telling him that I’m not comfortable with him anymore and apparently he’s supposed to be leaving at the end of the month. But I have PTSD and I was in the military and I did two tours in Iraq and I had to tell him that I had a a gun in the house which I do not.
And I’m just I do not have a gun in the house but I told him that I did. But he was just um cuz he sounded like he would hurt me. Like it was weird and I was scared for my life. But honestly, I have I do have a machete in in next to my I always have had a machete. Mhm. And I’m afraid that I might like honestly hurt him.
Is he a boyfriend? No, he he has that’s the problem. He has gained um feelings for me and that’s the reason why he’s leaving because he has gotten like feelings for me and I don’t have any feelings for him. like his full name is um um I’m sorry. I’m just like calling so that you guys know that if something happens and that I like have some type of self-defense or that I did it because I was trying to defend myself.
I don’t have any like automatic weapons or anything like that, but I I told him that so he can just like not even think about coming to my door because if he does, I swear I will kill him. I swear I’m scared of him. First, Casey’s application to live with Marabel seemed completely innocent and mundane. I’m Korean, single, employed.
I’m looking for a small apartment or a private room with a kitchen, and your place sounds perfect. I have a 10-pound dog, a Yorkshire terrier. I’m a social drinker. I don’t smoke. I’m straight. And I like to keep things clean. I’m calm and get along well with most people. And at first, things really did go smoothly.
They went dancing and karaoke together, laughed, walked the dogs, and Casey even paid for an Alaska cruise for the two of them, a romantic gesture that seemed like it would strengthen their bond and friendship. Everything looked like a calm, safe life filled with small joys and everyday routines. But when investigators started digging into his past, alarming details began to emerge.
Casey had moved to California from Tennessee. After losing his parents, he had a serious conflict with his sister over the inheritance. She described him as having a terrible, uncontrollable temper, so aggressive that she even filed a restraining order against him. Back in 1986, he was charged with assault and battery. and the very next year with aggravated assault.
Both charges were eventually dropped, but the shadows of the past lingered. In 2011, he was arrested again, this time suspected of driving under the influence. These facts painted a picture of someone who could be unpredictable and prone to conflict. After moving to California, Casey hardly made any new friends. Instead, he literally followed Marbel wherever she went, attaching himself to her company and staying close all the time.
By the time she disappeared, he had been living in her apartment for just over a year, creating an atmosphere of constant presence that could feel suffocating and limit her freedom. In the summer of 2012, Lucy got an unexpected call from Casey. He confessed that he was in love with her sister and talked about wanting to marry her and have kids.
Lucy immediately warned Marabel. She tried to handle it delicately, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but she realized she couldn’t put it off any longer. She had to be direct and explained that a romantic relationship between them was impossible. At first, it seemed like Casey had taken it in stride. But that didn’t last long.
He started buying an entirely new wardrobe, getting tattoos, and trying to change his appearance to impress Marabel. People even noted that he spent around $12,000 on cosmetic procedures to look younger and more attractive. It was clear Casey was obsessed with Marabel. His attention, his actions, and the money he was pouring into himself all spoke volumes.
A neighbor told the police that on the morning of Marabel’s disappearance, Casey came up to him saying he wanted to file a missing person report even though it was only 10:30 in the morning. The neighbor was shocked. It had been just a few hours since Marbel had left the house. “Why the rush,” he wondered.
That same neighbor also noticed deep scratches on Casey’s hands. When asked where they came from, he explained that he had been walking his dog, tripped, and fell into some bushes. But the story sounded far too simple and didn’t match the seriousness of the situation. When the police arrived at Marabel’s apartment, things got even more concerning.
Casey hadn’t gone out searching for her, as he claimed. He had just sat in his car nearby, watching what was happening instead of helping or looking for her. His behavior was so cold and detached that it only added to the tension and suspicion at this critical moment. So, this is Casey. You like call CJ? Everybody calls me Casey.
As you know, um right now there’s some people, some family and friends that are worried about um Marbel, your roommate. I’m sorry. I care about her very much. When he was called in for a full interrogation, Casey admitted that they had argued, but according to him, the reason was that Marabel had been drinking.
He described her as someone who could be either really cheerful or really aggressive, and this time he claimed it was the latter. Now, weren’t the police out to your house recently cuz you guys had an argument. There was the Friday night when she drinks. Either she’s going to be super friendly or super aggressive. And she started yelling at me, “I don’t like you. I’m not attracted to you.
” She started screaming at you. I said, “Marbel, we had a great time tonight. What’s what’s the problem?” She start saying, “I have a gun. My bullet is faster than you.” When was the last time you guys had any sort of an argument? Thursday. He told the police that he had lost his job, so it was hard for him to pay the rent.
But Marabel wouldn’t hear any excuses. She just insisted that he move out. Then they asked him again about the scratches and this time he gave a new version of the story. How’d you get all these scratches on? We go to ice park all the time. We tried to reach him to grab the fishing line. They tried to explain the scratches on Casey’s hands with a story about fishing line.
According to him, the line had supposedly wrapped around a duck and he got scratched while trying to untangle it. But to the investigators, the explanation sounded off. The scratches were even very deep and the same size. There was no way a plant, wire, or animal could leave marks like that. It was just too precise, too deliberate to be accidental.
Casey cooperated with the investigators as much as possible. He let them photograph him, gave a DNA sample, agreed to swabs from his apartment and car, and voluntarily handed over his phone and laptop. Every move he made was recorded. Every action checked for inconsistencies or new evidence. A police dog trained to detect human remains reacted to the trunk of his car.
That signal immediately set off alarms for the investigators since the dog’s reactions are rarely false. In the apartment, they found a pajama top tucked away. Surveillance footage confirmed it matched what Marabel had been wearing that day. Blood belonging to Marabel was found on the sleeve, but no foreign DNA was detected. This only deepened suspicion against Casey, practically tying him to her disappearance.
On May 13th, Casey logged on to Yelp. Marabel’s friends had been trying to spread the word everywhere, social media, forums, apps. Yelp became another discussion platform, and Casey, whose profile picture included him with Marabel, started commenting. He referred to her in the past tense, which alarmed some users who warned him that this was dangerous behavior.
Though if you consider good intentions, English was his second language, so maybe he didn’t fully understand the implications of what he was saying. Still, Casey remained the main suspect. Investigators decided to put him under 24-hour surveillance since any move he made could provide new clues or lead to more evidence.
Casey didn’t miss a chance to talk to the media. He kept saying the same thing, that Marabel was his best friend, his family, and that he would never hurt her. But the more he said it, the stranger and more tense his behavior appeared to the investigators and observers. Every word, every movement was carefully recorded, and the silence that hung over Marabel’s disappearance grew heavier and heavier.
My best friend actually, she’s my only friend, only family member I have. And voluntarily, they want a DNA sample. They took picture of my body. They will search the house without a search warrant. Um, I give them a permission to do it. Go ahead, go for it. because I’m the neighbor everyone suspects and honestly it’s really uncomfortable for me.
He said this is Marbel Ramo’s apartment where she was last seen 8 days ago. Her family says she left behind her muchloved dog. She left behind her vehicle and there’s been no recent activity on her cell phone or credit cards. Her sister said she knew something was wrong when Ramos missed a baseball game Friday and failed to show up at a veterans appreciation night where she was supposed to give a speech.
She does not just not call in and or not show up. You know, if she hasn’t a commitment with you, she will she will be there. The Orange Police Department has six detectives working the case, but have found no suspects. We’ve been everybody’s been working together. Um, you know, there’s all the family is coming together.
People are making flyers. People are sending emails. People are setting up web pages. People are, you know, getting in contact with everybody that they can. Ramos served two military tours of duty in Iraq as an army sergeant before being honorably discharged in 2008. This is why our family desperately needs the community to come together so we can find Mayor Bel Ramos, my sister, their cousin, the aunt, the student, the veteran, the amazing woman that gives and gives and has changed other people’s lives.
Marbel Ramos is 5’2, 130 lbs, and has a tattoo of a star on her left shoulder. That moment, Casey didn’t have his laptop with him, which made the detective scrambled to find other ways to track his movements. They knew he spent a lot of time on computers at the library working, scrolling through social media, checking emails.
So, they decided to focus on that spot, keeping an eye on him in real time. In the library, every computer was wiped clean after use. Browser history, files, session data, all gone as soon as someone finished. That made the investigation tricky because any trace could be lost forever. So, the detectives set up special surveillance.
They had Casey sit at a specific computer they could monitor, watching the screen directly. Every click, every keystroke was recorded on video. At first, nothing seemed suspicious. He checked social media, browsed emails, applied for jobs. He visited Marabel’s Facebook page a few times, looked up people involved in her search that could be chocked up to worry, anxiety, or just concern for a friend.
But things took a dark turn when he opened Google and typed, “How long does it take for a human body to decompose?” The words were cold, emotionless, and the detectives immediately realized this wasn’t curiosity anymore. Next, he found out that Marabel’s family was planning a hike in the canyon she loved. He typed the location into an online map and that’s when his behavior became even more alarming.
He zoomed into a remote rural area, pinpointing a specific spot by the road. This wasn’t part of any usual hiking or walking route. He lingered there for a long time, zooming in and out, scrutinizing the terrain. His actions were calculated, methodical, as if he were planning something very specific, thinking through every single step.
Even before Casey left the library, detectives were already driving toward that exact spot. And there, on May 17th, in a shallow grave in the remote canyon, they found Marabel’s badly decomposed body. Someone had tried to cover it with rocks, but her tattoos made identification immediate. Too much time had passed, and the hot weather made it impossible to determine the exact cause of death.
Detectives documented everything they could. Every detail mattered. Casey Joy was later brought in for much tougher questioning. He didn’t yet know that the body had been found and sat confidently talking casually as if nothing had happened. But the moment detectives applied even a hint of pressure, just the smallest suggestion that they knew more than he thought, Casey suddenly stood up and stormed out of the room.
His reaction was so shocking that the detectives were literally caught off guard. The tension in the air was palpable, and it became clear they were dealing with someone who couldn’t handle even the slightest pressure without either fleeing or lashing out. I think that you have the answers in your heart that you do and that you should share.
Just sit down for a little bit. He’s telling you first of all, if you want to go, you can go. But he was immediately handcuffed and arrested on suspicion of murder. During booking, they found Marabel’s military identification tags in his possession. It has been a devastating ending for the family of a beloved Iraqi war veteran.
Within just the past hour, police in Orange announced that they had identified the decomposed body of Marabel Ramos and her roommate is now under arrest for murder. At 6:00, I’m Chuck Henry and I’m Lucy Nolan. It’s what Marvel Ramos’s family feared the most. Last night, authorities found her body near Majesca Canyon. A smell tipped them off.
NBC4’s Hedi Chang lives in Orange where authorities said moments ago they do have a suspect in custody. And Heddy, this is somebody that we’ve actually talked with. Marbel’s University released an official statement. They said, “Marabel was a beloved student and a military veteran who was actively involved in both campus life and the local community.
She set an incredible example for fellow students, faculty, and staff. We honor her for her service to our country as an Army paratrooper and for her dedication to education.” The roommate of an Army veteran was formally charged today with her murder. But prosecutors admit that there is a lot about this case that is still quite puzzling.
Detectives believe the timeline went like this. That Thursday evening, she and Casey argued over the rent. And it was during that argument that she called Paul and put him on speakerphone around 7:30 p.m. The last moments of her life were captured on camera as she dropped her check in the manager’s office and returned to her apartment to go to bed just before 8:30 p.m.
With no signs of a struggle, detectives suspect Casey smothered Marabel in her sleep with a pillow. She never had a chance to defend herself and didn’t expect an attack. He had clearly planned it in a way that made resistance nearly impossible. Considering her military training, she would have been able to put up a strong defense.
He placed her body in the trunk of his car and drove to the canyon. To reach the spot where she was found, he had to get through barbed wire, explaining the deep scratches on his arms. Afterwards, he cleaned the car and removed the pillowcase. What happened to her personal belongings remains unknown, but it’s likely he discarded them somewhere along the way.
Casey repeatedly denied everything. Her family knows I cared about her and I would never hurt her. She was my dream. Klemak was there as family and friends remembered Marabel Ramos. A last goodbye today and with it. A hope that a woman who friends say struggled in life will now be at peace. We don’t know what heaven fully looks like. We can only imagine that.
Rosio Vega says she’s surrounded by sadness as her family says goodbye. More than a year later, Casey Joy, who continued to plead not guilty, finally stood trial. A 911 call just days before she’s found dead. This is just one of the pieces of evidence prosecutors revealed today as they made their opening arguments.
However, attorneys for her roommate and suspected killer are painting a very different picture here. NBC4’s Vicky Vargas is live for us in Santa Ana with some new information in this case. We understand Vicki. Yeah, very interesting, Robert. One of the things the jury will have to decide is whether or not Kong Choy Joy Casey as is known is an odd duck, that’s how his own attorney describes him or whether he is a killer.
Now, after listening to hours of testimony inside the courtroom, we know that he didn’t have the money to pay the rent. During opening statements, his attorney acknowledged that Marabel did in fact die inside the apartment, but insisted that Casey did not kill her. According to the defense, his only crime was improperly disposing of her body.
As for her death, the attorneys floated several alternative possibilities. Maybe she had an underlying medical condition, or maybe she had taken her own life. They pointed out that her military service had left her with PTSD, paranoia, and heightened vigilance. They attempted to imply that Marbel struggled with alcohol or drugs, noting that she’d been drinking the night she called police, suggesting she may have been a danger to herself.
Casey’s attorney also emphasized that Marabel lived what he called a party lifestyle, a high-risk lifestyle. They argued that Casey could not be convicted of murder because the exact cause of her death remained unknown. The prosecution, meanwhile, painted the image of a deeply obsessed, highly calculated man.
A man whose life was falling apart. And the one person he fixated on, Marabel, was slipping away from him. She was tired of him not paying rent and told him so directly. He had no job, no friends, no place to go, and the woman he was in love with no longer wanted him in her life, and he snapped. Casey told the court, “I miss Marbel more than anyone.
I think about it. I’ve been in jail for 440 days now. I think about it almost every day. Her family wants me to apologize, but I can’t apologize for something I didn’t do. Maybe someday the truth will come out. Maybe I’ll just die in prison. We’ve been following the trial for several weeks and today closing arguments wrapped up.
NBC4’s Vicky Vargas was the only reporter to talk to Marabel’s sister as the jury now gets the case. Vicki, it was interesting, Chuck. Listed in court this morning. The defense almost berated the police, saying they didn’t believe they were doing their job. They weren’t looking at other possible suspects.
They contend the prosecution’s case has so many holes in it, it’s like Swiss cheese. And they said to the jury, “Don’t be surprised if it’s a struggle to reach your decision.” Right when deliberations began, we sat down with Ramos’s sister, who says she’s already made up her mind. Casey was ultimately found guilty of manslaughter.
While awaiting his sentencing, he waged a relentless campaign through interviews and letters. He sent dozens of letters to the judge, protesting his innocence and insisting that he had done nothing wrong. Despite the verdict, Casey remained outspoken, using every available channel to argue his case, maintain his version of events, and try to influence public perception.
His efforts painted a picture of a man unwilling to accept responsibility, determined to tell his story on his own terms. It’s an exclusive jailhouse interview with a convicted killer who believes he is entitled to a new trial. And Eyewitness News reporter Mian Hernandez looks at the crime, the evidence, and what the convicted man is trying to do now.
It was a case as chilling as it was tragic. Today against the advice of his public defender, Joyce speaks out to us from the Orange County Jail. I cry. I cry. And then my Miranda right was read. I cry. Only audio was allowed in the interview. Casey Joy, convicted of second-degree murder says he does not want to wait for an appeal that he wants a retrial with evidence that was kept from the jury about the scratches on his body that prosecutors said were from a physical fight. According to doctor said my
scratches were nonspecific abrasion. Doctors say it was not fingernail scratches and nonsp specific. It could be from brush or anything. The absence of physical evidence. They searched my apartment about seven times. No DNA, no fingerprint, no signs of foul play or anything. Prosecutors agree it was a circumstantial case.
The key evidence Joyy’s internet search at the public library. zooming in on the very place where Ramos’s body was found. Joyce says today he used the public access computer because police seized his laptop. But he says many people use the library computer about googling the location of the gray site in Majesca Canyon.
Never happened. He says you never searched for that place. You never zoomed into that place. No, I said and my assumption I was set up straight forward. about motive. The prosecution says that Joy loved Ramos and that they fought when she told him to leave. Joy says they did go on one cruise together but slept in separate beds.
We always maintain that we are good friends. We are platonic friends. She was like my sister. So who do you think killed her? That’s good. That I do not know. Joy is now on a letter writing campaign telling all he needs a more vigorous advocate than his public defender. Joy awaits sentencing set for September 12th as he faces 15 years to life in prison.
Miriam Hernandez, ABC7 Eyewitness News. Some people argued that the evidence could have been challenged more thoroughly. There was no definitive cause of death. There was no DNA directly linking him to the crime, and the case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence. Yet, the available evidence painted a compelling circumstantial picture.
her panicked 911 call, his growing obsession with her, and all of his computer searches. Regarding circumstantial cases, prosecutor Kelly Seagler explained that they can be just as powerful as DNA based cases. She compared it to a single pencil, easy to break, but when you hold a whole bundle, it becomes almost unbreakable.
Each piece of circumstantial evidence, no matter how small, adds to the others, and forms a story that is extremely difficult to dispute or disprove. Ultimately, Casey was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. A man convicted of killing his roommate, an Iraq war veteran, is sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
Nighty Witness News reporter Greg Lee was in court today when Casey Joy declared his innocence. Mr. Joy needs to be put away for life. He is an evil man and a coward that should never be forgiven. Ramos’s family trying to hold back tears in the courtroom. Happy that justice has been served. Um, it’s been it’s been tough.
Joyy’s request for a new trial was also denied. While addressing the court today, he continued to say how much he loved his roommate and friend. I miss more than anyone. I think about it. I’ve been here for about 440 days in jail. Think about it almost every day. Mr.
Joyce sent dozens of letters to the judge declaring his innocence. Casey Joy remained behind bars at the Soledad Correctional Facility in California. According to records, he was eligible for parole in the spring of 2022 after serving 9 years of his sentence. That request was denied and again denied in 2023. He will not appear before the parole board again until 2026.
Casey has since announced that he is writing a book titled Suspect: Guilty Until Proven innocent. Marbel had been fearless her entire life. Yet in her own home, where she should have felt safe, she lost her life at the hands of someone she trusted, someone her family also trusted. Marabel’s niece, Jazelle, accepted her diploma on her behalf, carrying Marabel’s photograph on stage so she could be there in spirit.
Jazelle said, “I lost my older sister, my best friend, another role model, another maternal figure in my life. I want everyone to know just how beautiful her soul was. We are deeply grateful to all our viewers and everyone who supported us. Thank you for watching this video and we hope you found it engaging. If you want to support my channel and help me continue creating content, please like, comment, share, and subscribe.
It means a lot and I truly appreciate
Disclaimer : This content may be created by AI for entertainment purposes. Any resemblance to real persons, events, or places is coincidental.
