Jun 22, 2009 6:34 pm US/Pacific
SFPD Inspector Testifies In Triple Murder Case
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ―
A San Francisco homicide inspector testified in court Monday about a conversation he had with a man who implicated the alleged MS-13 gang member accused in the 2008 killings of a father and two of his sons.
Homicide Inspector Tom Newland spoke Monday afternoon during the sixth day of the preliminary hearing in San Francisco Superior Court for Edwin Ramos, 22, of El Sobrante.
Ramos is accused in the murders of Tony Bologna, 48, and his sons Michael, 20, and Matthew, 16, on June 22, 2008, in the city's Excelsior District.
Police have said the Bolognas may have been mistaken for rival gang members, when a car pulled up to their car in the 200 block of Congdon Street, and someone inside opened fire.
Newland said Friday he received a phone call two days after the killings from Douglas Largaespada, also an alleged MS-13 member who is now in federal custody.
"He told me that he had a conversation with some friends of his, some MS friends, and that he knew someone with a Chrysler 300," Newland told Judge Teri Jackson.
Police on June 24, 2008, had publicly described a Chrysler 300 as the suspect vehicle in the killings, and during Ramos' arrest later that night at his home, also recovered the vehicle, which according to police belonged to Ramos and his wife.
According to Newland, Largaespada told him the Chrysler 300 "was hot ... that Popeye had it for only two weeks, and it was hot already."
Ramos is allegedly known by the nickname "Popeye."
Newland said Largaespada and "Popeye" had "some sort of a falling out."
Newland was among several officers who responded to Ramos' home with a search warrant. After his arrest, Newland said he interviewed Ramos at San Francisco Police Department headquarters at about 4:30 a.m.
After reading him his Miranda rights, Ramos agreed to talk, but at first denied any involvement in the murders, Newland said.
Ramos claimed he had read about the killings in the newspaper.
"He said that the guys at work were teasing him," because his car matched the one described in the newspaper, said Newland, but claimed the rims on his vehicle were different.
Ramos also admitted he "used to be a member of MS," Newland said. He said he had handled a gun before, but claimed he had never fired one.
Later, Newland said, Ramos changed his statement about his alleged involvement in the homicides.
At this point in the testimony, Ramos' attorney Marla Zamora objected to the purported statement being read aloud in court.
Zamora has said that her client "did not shoot anyone," and is not a gang member.
Attorneys will argue whether the statement will be allowed Tuesday morning.
Ramos' preliminary hearing is scheduled to last at least through Wednesday, after which Jackson will determine if there is probable cause to hold Ramos for trial on the charges.
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