In the Southside of Richmond on a Wednesday morning, a wave of violence shattered the daily calm of several local businesses. Marvin Ramos-Hernandez, a 40-year-old man, was at his job at Lindo Amanecer Restaurant and Market, a place where he had been a familiar and friendly face for over a decade. His life was abruptly cut short on what was tragically his birthday, February 7, 2024.
That morning, two individuals embarked on a robbery spree, targeting three Latino businesses along Broad
Rock Boulevard. The first incident occurred around 10:20 a.m. at a business in the 2200 block, where an armed man fired a shot inside before stealing cash and fleeing in an SUV. Just ten minutes later, police received a call about another robbery and a shooting less than a mile away at the Lindo Amanecer Restaurant and Market. There, officers found Marvin Ramos-Hernandez suffering from a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspects' crime spree was brought to an end less than 45 minutes after it began. Utilizing camera footage and license plate reader technology, Richmond Police tracked down the SUV involved. Inside, they found and arrested 25-year-old Jonathan Beltran and 18-year-old Ronald T. Monterosso. It was later revealed that both suspects had prior involvement with the criminal justice system. Beltran had been arrested in the same area in February of 2023 on firearm and narcotics charges that were still pending. Monterosso had active warrants for his arrest from the neighboring Chesterfield County.
The community was left to mourn the loss of Marvin Ramos-Hernandez, a father of two who was described as a kind and good person. His death, a senseless act of violence, has left a lasting impact on his family and the patrons who knew him from his many years of dedicated work at the restaurant.
