The last of three defendants charged in the 2020 kidnapping, assault and murder of Joshua Ramos, 19, of Potter County, has pleaded guilty.
Kyle Moore, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and kidnapping. He is scheduled to be sentenced at 10 a.m. Monday in Potter County Court.
Krysten Crosby, 25, and Felicia Cary, 38, are the other two defendants in the case, both of whom have pleaded guilty to similar charges. Crosby was sentenced to 31 to 62 years in prison. She had pleaded guilty to an additional charge of tampering with evidence.
Cary, who was sentenced Nov. 18, will serve 30 to 60 years. Neither woman is eligible for the state drug treatment program, the state boot camp program, or any recidivism risk reduction incentive (RRRI) sentence.
District Attorney Andy Watson had been seeking the death penalty against the three defendants in the case. That was not pursued in consideration of the plea agreements.
Ramos, who grew up in foster homes in New Jersey, had been dating Crosby. They, along with several other people, were living at a residence in Galeton. In late March 2020, Crosby and Ramos had some sort of disagreement, and he allegedly pushed her.
According to the complaints, Crosby, Cary, Moore, Ramos and a fifth person — whose name was redacted — were at a home in Galeton. The fifth person, who eventually came forward to tell police about the alleged murder, told police that Cary and Crosby were smashing dishes, with Cary using a bat for smashing. A short time later, Moore punched Ramos, knocking him to the floor, and began kicking him in the ribs; soon all three were striking and swearing at him, the complaint stated.
Court records indicate they beat him for about an hour, then began humiliating him.
The complaint stated that they then all got into a van and told Ramos to lie down in the third-row seat. They drove to Ole Bull State Park in Stewardson Township, but, concerned they would be spotted on a trail camera, they started driving to Whitman Road in Harrison Township.
On the way there, the van was pulled over by a Westfield Borough Police officer — with Ramos lying in the third seat under a blanket — for a loud exhaust, according to court records. They were issued a verbal warning and sent on their way.
When they arrived at Whitman Road, Crosby, Cary and Moore allegedly took Ramos into the woods. They were gone for about two hours, and came back without Ramos, the witness told police. On the way back, the three told the witness they had left Ramos in the woods, and began to brag about their actions. The witness told police he heard the three talking about “how tough the victim was and that he wouldn’t die,” the complaint stated.
On July 6, after the alleged crime was reported to state police by the fifth person, Ramos’ body was found in a wooded area near the intersection of Harrison Rooks Road and Whitman Road in Harrison Township.
The defendants were arrested, and have been held without bail ever since — more than four years each, from July 7, 2020 to the time of their sentencing. For Cary, it was 1,596 days; for Crosby, it was 1,516 days.
Moore is represented by Edward Rymsza of Williamsport and Thomas Walrath of Wellsboro. Cary is represented by Chris Pentz of Clearfield and Walter Stenhach, Potter County public defender.
Crosby is represented by Joseph Ryan of Reynoldsville and Eric Gurney of Wellsboro.
