By Prak Chan Thul and Douglas Gillison
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The decision about what to do with the body of US pedophile suspect Donald Rene Ramirez, who police say committed suicide in his cell Tuesday, will be left up to his family, the US Embassy said Wednesday.
Ramirez's next of kin were notified of his death in custody at the municipal anti-human-trafficking police headquarters, embassy spokesman Jeff Daigle said. The family will be able to make the decision after Cambodian authorities choose to release the body, he said.
Ramirez, a 50-year-old traffic police officer from California, was charged by Phnom Penh Municipal Court with debauchery Sunday, for allegedly abusing two girls aged 11 and 14.
Detained at the police headquarters Tuesday, Ramirez used a mop handle to drag a K-54 handgun, which was under a guard's pillow where he had been sleeping on a fold-up bed into his cell at about 6 am, according to Keo Thea, deputy municipal anti-human trafficking police chief. Ramirez then shot himself in the head, Keo Thea said Tuesday.
Asked whether the embassy is happy with the way Cambodian police have handled the case, Daigle replied: "At this point we are still waiting for the final report, so we can't really say anything until we see what the final report says."
Police began investigating Ramirez after an alleged victim of German child sex abuse suspect Henning Karl-Heinz Opitz, who was arrested in August said she had also been abused by the American, Keo Thea said.
"They both had sex with the girl," he said.
Deputy Prosecutor Ngeth Sarath said that in court Sunday, Ramirez denied the charges against him.
Ramirez's lawyer Theng Mengy said his client appeared upset by the charges but did not seem suicidal.
Ramirez's next of kin were notified of his death in custody at the municipal anti-human-trafficking police headquarters, embassy spokesman Jeff Daigle said. The family will be able to make the decision after Cambodian authorities choose to release the body, he said.
Ramirez, a 50-year-old traffic police officer from California, was charged by Phnom Penh Municipal Court with debauchery Sunday, for allegedly abusing two girls aged 11 and 14.
Detained at the police headquarters Tuesday, Ramirez used a mop handle to drag a K-54 handgun, which was under a guard's pillow where he had been sleeping on a fold-up bed into his cell at about 6 am, according to Keo Thea, deputy municipal anti-human trafficking police chief. Ramirez then shot himself in the head, Keo Thea said Tuesday.
Asked whether the embassy is happy with the way Cambodian police have handled the case, Daigle replied: "At this point we are still waiting for the final report, so we can't really say anything until we see what the final report says."
Police began investigating Ramirez after an alleged victim of German child sex abuse suspect Henning Karl-Heinz Opitz, who was arrested in August said she had also been abused by the American, Keo Thea said.
"They both had sex with the girl," he said.
Deputy Prosecutor Ngeth Sarath said that in court Sunday, Ramirez denied the charges against him.
Ramirez's lawyer Theng Mengy said his client appeared upset by the charges but did not seem suicidal.
2 comments:
he's too ashame to come back home as a sex criminal. Worst he'll be lock up in jail and those guys will have no mercy for him. Knowing that he used to be a cop and had allegedly abusing young girl. If he dare to stay alive and in jail in USA.. they'll do him sensless.
That's why he might as well be dead.. took his own life.. Now he's spirit is being punish.
Can't kill yourslef.. it's forbidden.
he's too ashame to come back home as a sex criminal. Worst he'll be lock up in jail and those guys will have no mercy for him. Knowing that he used to be a cop and had allegedly abusing young girl. If he dare to stay alive and in jail in USA.. they'll do him sensless.
That's why he might as well be dead.. took his own life.. Now he's spirit is being punish.
Can't kill yourslef.. it's forbidden.
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