Ramon C. Vasquez, a 25-year-old Hispanic male, died on March 11, 2015, in Saginaw Township, Michigan, during a foiled robbery attempt at an apartment where a poker game was being held. Vasquez and at least one other masked individual, later identified as Jason D. McGowan, entered the apartment with the intention of robbing the game's participants. Shortly after their entry, one of the robbers discharged a firearm.
The robbery took an unexpected turn when one of the twelve poker players,
who held a concealed pistol license, drew his own weapon and returned fire. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Vasquez was shot. He was later found in a hallway of the apartment building and transported to Covenant HealthCare where he succumbed to his injuries. Another of the accomplices, Jesse M. Bobain, was also shot multiple times during the incident but survived.
Following an investigation, the Saginaw County Prosecutor's Office determined that the poker player who shot Vasquez acted in self-defense. Consequently, the shooting was ruled a justifiable homicide, and no criminal charges were brought against the player for Vasquez's death.
While the shooter faced no charges, three men who were involved in planning and carrying out the attempted robbery with Vasquez were arrested and prosecuted. Jason D. McGowan, identified as the other masked gunman, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and a felony firearm charge. He was sentenced to a term of 25 to 45 years in prison for the conspiracy charge, with an additional two years for the firearm offense. Another accomplice, Christopher M. Talkington, who was present in the apartment but not playing poker at the time of the incident, also faced charges. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and was sentenced to five to ten years in prison. The third accomplice, Jesse M. Bobain, also faced charges in connection with the robbery attempt.
