Former Sing Sing correction officer, Rafael Ramos, walked into Westchester County Court on Thursday expecting the possible dismissal of the murder case against him in the 1997 killing of his estranged wife, Nusinaida Ramos. Instead, he faced the revelation that prosecutors had obtained a new indictment. This signals a continued legal battle despite surprising DNA results.
The unsolved murder
Rafael Ramos is accused of strangling and beating Nusinaida Ramos in her Yonkers apartment on March 9, 1997. Nusinaida shared the Colin Street apartment with the two children she had with Rafael; though they were estranged.
Police discovered the dead body of Nusinaida the next day after receiving a call from concerned relatives. Authorities interviewed Rafael Ramos and he admitted to being in the apartment the day of his wife’s death. However, he said the visit was only to pickup their children and he had no part in her suspected murder. Criminal charges against Rafael Ramos would not be filed until 25 years later.
Cold case charges
In June 2023, the Cold Case Bureau of the Westchester District Attorney’s Office aided in the indictment of Ramos for second-degree murder. It was hoped that new DNA would further implicate Ramos in the murder of his deceased wife. However, in October, results excluded him as a match from DNA found at the scene.
Furthermore, Westchester Judge George Fufidio expressed his criticism regarding the grand jury presentation. Fufidio had hinted at the possibility of dismissing the indictment, which relied heavily on hearsay evidence.
Due to these factors, Ramos and his attorney believe the case could be dismissed. However, a grand jury returned a new indictment last week. Ramos again plead not guilty to the charge of murder in the second-degree.
As the legal proceedings continue, the defense intends to challenge the credibility of the prosecution’s key witness, Ramos’ girlfriend at the time of the murder. They intend to portray her as a woman scorned after Ramos ended their relationship following the murder, as reported by Jonathan Bandler of LoHud.
Rafael Ramos remains free on bail.
