GILROY
– Wednesday marked the fourth anniversary for one of Gilroy’s
four unsolved homicides. For the family of the victim, the pain
continues to get worse with each year.
GILROY – Wednesday marked the fourth anniversary for one of Gilroy’s four unsolved homicides. For the family of the victim, the pain continues to get worse with each year.
“We don’t want revenge, just justice,” said Oralia Ramirez, the older sister of Gregorio Ramirez, the 26-year-old man from Watsonville who was shot and killed in Gilroy on Nov. 20, 1998. “It’s scary to think the people who killed my brother are still on the streets. It’s hard for our family. We can’t move on.”
On Wednesday night, friends and family of Gregorio Ramirez gathered in Watsonville to remember their fallen son, brother, uncle and friend. It’s a day of grieving the family dreads each year, realizing wounds of anger, frustration and pain they hoped would heal with time have only grown deeper.
“The only thing that can help now is to know who’s responsible for taking him from us,” Oralia Ramirez said.
Determined to ease her loved ones’ pain, Oralia Ramirez carries her brother’s death certificate with her everywhere she goes – a tactic designed to keep her focused on her task of finding Gregorio’s murderer. Investing in discipline and hope, Oralia Ramirez calls the Gilroy Police Department once a month to see if they have received any new information on her brother’s case.
It’s been 48 months since the murder; Oralia Ramirez is still waiting for some good news from the detective on the other side of the telephone receiver.
“Realistically, they’re looking for closure and it might not come anytime soon,” said Daniel Zen, the GPD homicide detective who has taken over Gregorio Ramirez’s case since the previous homicide detective was promoted. “Suspects in the case have developed, but there’s that gang mentality with this case, and the witnesses don’t want to rat on anybody. … This is always rough on the family of the victim.”
Gregorio Ramirez was shot to death while sitting in a car with friends outside a party in Gilroy they had driven to from Watsonville. The motive for the shooting has never been determined, and police believe several possible witnesses to the shooting did not divulge information because they were scared of becoming victims themselves.
Oralia Ramirez admitted that her baby brother was involved with gangs when he was younger, but said the 26-year-old had grown out of the gang life and enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews, listening to reggae music and fishing. She said he was likely at the Gilroy party just to have fun with friends and maybe met some girls.
Gregorio Ramirez’s case will remain open to new information like other unsolved homicides in the city, and Oralia Ramirez will continue to call the GPD every month with her fingers crossed.
“I think it’s ridiculous that nobody saw or heard anything,” Oralia Ramirez said. “I understand they might have been scared to tell the cops – and I think the cops are doing everything they can – but I’m still hoping someone will speak up, even if its an anonymous tip. We’ll take anything.”
Anyone with information on the death of Gregorio Ramirez can call Detective Daniel Zen at 846-0300.
