Modesto man convicted in 2020 Valentine’s Day shooting death, faces life in prison
The third and final man charged in connection with a fatal shooting in Modesto’s airport neighborhood on Valentine’s Day 2020 has been convicted, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office reported.
Bryant Ramirez, 24, of Modesto was found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder with use of a gun and arson. He is set to be sentenced Feb. 26 and faces a life sentence, according to a DA’s Office post on Facebook.
Modesto police dispatched to the area of South Conejo Avenue and Oregon Drive at about 11 p.m. the night of Feb. 14 found Joel Vasquez Barragan, 25, dead in the roadway . He had been shot five times.
The investigation found that Ramirez and a co-conspirator lured Barragan to the location, just west of the airport, where Ramirez shot him, the post says.
“Ramirez and his co-conspirator then fled the area,” it says. “In an effort to hide evidence, Ramirez burned the car they used in the murder.”
On Jan. 7, the co-conspirator, Armando Suarez, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, DA’s Office spokesman Wendell Emerson told The Bee. He faces a sentence of 15 years to life in prison, Emerson said.
The remaining defendant, Edgar Ramirez, pleaded guilty to arson and will be sentenced to probation with one year in jail, Emerson said.
The Modesto Police Department investigated the case. Past Bee reporting says detectives served search warrants at two homes in Ceres and apprehended the three suspects.
Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Matthew Serratto prosecuted the case.
This story was originally published February 2, 2025 at 1:41 PM.
