In the early morning hours of Sunday, January 6, 2019, the life of Nelson Ramos, a 29-year-old male, was cut short by gunfire in the Bronx. Just before 4 a.m., police responded to a 911 call reporting a man shot in front of the Monroe Houses on Soundview Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered Ramos with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. Emergency services transported him to Jacobi Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
A father of three, Ramos had reportedly been trying to turn his life around after being released from prison eight months earlier for gun charges. His mother recalled him as a 'loving person' who was well-liked in the neighborhood and had recently started a new job.
The initial investigation suggested that two men shot Ramos multiple times in the face and torso before escaping on foot and getting into a dark SUV driven by a third individual. For months, the case remained under investigation. Then, in September 2019, authorities announced the arrests of three men in connection with the murder of Nelson Ramos. The individuals taken into custody were Robert Wilson, 28, Kevin Crosby, 23, and Yefrel Brito, 28; all were charged with murder.
Further developments in the case revealed the murder was connected to gang activity. A superseding indictment charged a fourth man, Marquis Yohanis, also known as 'DG,' with murder in aid of racketeering and other offenses related to the killing. Prosecutors stated that Wilson, Crosby, Brito, and Yohanis were members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as the Stevenson Commons Crew or Sex Money Murder. The charges against the men included murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and firearms offenses.
The legal process brought a measure of justice for the killing of Nelson Ramos. Robert Wilson, who authorities said helped plan and execute the murder, was sentenced to 37 years in prison after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, and a firearms offense. Kevin Crosby received a sentence of 25 years in prison, and Marquis Yohanis was sentenced to over 24 years. Yefrel Brito was also facing sentencing for his role in the crime.
