Chino man must stand trial on charges that he murdered his cousin over affair
A Chino Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday that a 28-year-old Chino man must stand trial on charges that he murdered his cousin after he discovered that his cousin had an affair with his wife.
On the evening of May 10 at a Chino house party, Miguel Ramos walked up to Valentin Barria, 25, and said, "Cousin, you owe me something," before shooting Barria with a handgun, testified Barria's widowed wife, Maximina Lopez Garcia.
Barria was shot three times and died at a nearby hospital, Chino Police officer Jonathan Monroe testified.
Tuesday's two-hour preliminary hearing included testimony from Garcia and three police officers.
Garcia said that Ramos was angry at Barria because Barria had an affair with Ramos's wife.
Ramos's wife left Ramos in June 2007, and Ramos blamed Barria, Garcia said.
Garcia and Barria stayed together despite Barria's affair, and had a son together who is now 5 years old, she said.
In an interview after he was arrested, Ramos told Chino Police officer Brian Cauble he believed Barria was the father of his wife's second child, Cauble testified.
Ramos first lashed out at Barria in June 2007 at a house party, Garcia said. Ramos tried to slash Barria with a knife, she testified.
On the night of Barria's death, the family went to the Fifth Street house party believing that Ramos would be somewhere else, Garcia said.
When the family saw Ramos arrive at about 9:40 p.m., the family said goodbye to the hosts and started to walk outside.
Ramos opened fire when Barria was in the doorway, standing only a few feet from his son, Garcia said.
Ramos fled the scene after the shooting. He was arrested about a week later after his brother led Chino investigators to Ramos's new home in the Orange County city of Stanton.
During an interview with Cauble after his arrest, Ramos admitted he shot Barria. He said he felt Barria "owed (Ramos) his life for embarrassing him and making him feel like less of a man," Cauble testified.
Barria also told Cauble he felt he had "horns on his head" and felt nothing at the time of the shooting, Cauble testified.
Eduardo Madrid and Erica Madrid, Ramos's father-and-daughter defense team, said after the hearing that Ramos has pleaded not guilty to the charge by reason of insanity.
Eduardo Madrid declined to comment further when asked specifically about details of Ramos's alleged insanity.
Ramos is scheduled to return to court Dec. 4 to be arraigned on the murder charge.
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