GWINNETT COUNTY, GA – A self-proclaimed “patriot” was convicted of shooting a man in the back of the head because the victim envied his U.S. citizenship.
A Gwinnett County jury found 35-year-old Jorge Alberto Ramirez guilty of three counts of murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm. in the April 14, 2021: Shooting death of 23-year-old Pedro Lopez-Belloso. Ramirez was sentenced to life imprisonment plus five years.
“This was a cruel and violent death,” said District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. “We mourn with Mr. Lopez-Belloso’s family and loved ones. By prosecuting this death, we send the message that no one has the right to determine who deserves to die.”
Ramirez told police he was sitting in the back seat of an SUV on Jimmy Carter Boulevard the night of the incident and felt nervous because Lopez-Belloso was armed. He claims that because of this “funny feeling” about the others in the car, he loaded a bullet into the AR-15 rifle in the back seat. Shortly afterward, the rifle fired, hitting Lopez-Belloso, who was sitting in the passenger seat, in the back of the head. Ramirez told police investigators that the rifle was lying next to him when it accidentally went off.
But later evidence showed he planned to shoot Lopez-Belloso, telling the SUV driver, “I don’t give a damn… There will be no feelings of jealousy, envy, hatred…” After the shooting, as Ramirez was being arrested by Gwinnett County police in the back seat of a patrol car, he was recorded saying he shot Lopez-Belloso because the “immigrant wants to envy, hate and be jealous of an American citizen of the United States of America.” He later said, “… Our oath is that when you bring our patriots to justice, they will respond with the utmost accuracy and a clear solution… It’s very simple, brother. I don’t give a shit if there are no murders, I don’t give a shit if there are no kidnappings. I don’t give a shit about anything…”
Ramirez told prosecutors a different story in March 2022 after he was charged by police. He said he was sleeping in the back seat of the SUV when the rifle, which was lying in the back seat next to him, fell over and went off. An analysis of the assault rifle by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations found that the weapon could not have misfired accidentally, only by a human pulling the trigger.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Anthony Volkodav and Marlene Oldeen with assistance from District Attorney’s Office Investigator Matt Cleland and Victim Advocate Korrine Haskins. Gwinnett County Police Detective J. Lawson led The police Investigation of the case.
