Crime

Fall River man convicted of beating pregnant girlfriend to serve 10-12 years in prison

"This is another example of pure inhumane brutality."

August 24, 2016

1 minute to read

A Fall River man convicted of brutally beating his pregnant girlfriend and neighbor with a hammer last summer was sentenced to 10-12 years in prison, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Mario Ramos, 24, pleaded guilty to home invasion, strangulation, intimidation of a witness, assault and battery, and two counts of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, Bristol District Attorney Thomas Quinn’s office said in a statement. After he’s released from prison, he will serve 10 years of supervised probation.

The altercation on July 13, 2015 began when the Ramos got angry that his girlfriend, who was eight months pregnant, was speaking to his mother, the statement said. Ramos strangled her in his apartment on 3rd Street in Fall River, eventually releasing her. She ran to a nearby apartment with her 3- and 4-year-old children for protection, begging the neighbor to call police.

Later, they heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was police officers, they opened it, but it was Ramos armed with a hammer. He severely beat the neighbor with the hammer, almost killing him, Quinn’s office said. He suffered a fractured shoulder and ribs and a lacerated liver.

Ramos beat the woman with the hammer on her head, upper body, and stomach, prosecutors said.

He eventually dropped the hammer, fled the apartment, and was arrested.

“This is another example of pure inhumane brutality. It is discouraging that this defendant was just 22 years old when this occurred,” Quinn said in the statement. “However, he had a similar instance of violence when he attacked his brother with a hammer prior to this incident. He very simply needs to be locked up for a very long time.”

In 2011, Ramos was charged with attacking his brother with a hammer in Puerto Rico, according to the DA’s office.