In the cold of a Syracuse winter, the life of 18-year-old Ezequiel Ruiz was tragically cut short. On the night of January 21, 2020, Ruiz was discovered in the driver's seat of a vehicle near the West Park Apartments on South Salina Street. He had been shot twice in the head. A recent graduate of the Institute of Technology at Syracuse, where he had played as a defensive lineman on the football team, his sudden and violent death sent shockwaves through his community.
The Syracuse Police
Department quickly launched an investigation into the homicide. Their efforts led them to a suspect, a 15-year-old named Benjamin Kemp. Investigators determined that the motive for the killing was a robbery over a small amount of marijuana valued at $40. Kemp was subsequently arrested and faced serious charges, including second-degree murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and first-degree armed robbery.
Benjamin Kemp was held at the Hillbrook Detention Center as he awaited legal proceedings. In June of 2021, at the age of 17, he was convicted of the charges brought against him. The judge, in handing down the sentence, gave Kemp the maximum allowable for a juvenile, 15 years to life in prison. During the sentencing, Kemp expressed remorse for his actions and the profound pain he had inflicted upon the Ruiz family.
