Ramiro Castillo Jaramillo, a 38-year-old man, was a social and hardworking individual, known by his friends and family for his welcoming heart and willingness to help others. He had studied Radiology and Auto Mechanics and was pursuing a life insurance certification. His life was cut short on June 16, 2021, when he was fatally shot in his home in Raytown, a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri.
The events leading to his death began with a seemingly mundane household dispute.
Jaramillo and his roommate, Robert E. Matlock Jr., were arguing. The disagreement reportedly stemmed from Jaramillo's decision to lock the garage where he kept his medical marijuana. The argument escalated, and Jaramillo entered Matlock's room. Matlock, who was recording the confrontation with his cellphone, then shot Jaramillo multiple times in his right side and back.
When police responded to the home in the 7700 block of Raytown Road, they found Jaramillo with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries later that day. Matlock was taken into custody at the scene. He claimed to police that he had acted in self-defense, stating he believed Jaramillo was armed, although he admitted to not seeing a weapon. He told investigators that he and Jaramillo frequently argued about household issues like bills and cleaning. He even shared videos of their arguments from his phone with the police.
Robert E. Matlock Jr. was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. During his trial, the evidence presented included Matlock's own video recording of the incident. In February 2025, a Jackson County jury found Matlock guilty of both charges. The jury recommended a sentence of 18 years for the murder charge and 7 years for the armed criminal action charge. Matlock was scheduled for a sentencing hearing on March 20, 2025.
