Roy Ramsey was executed by the State of Missouri for a double murder
According to court documents Roy Ramsey and his accomplices would go to the home of Garnett and Betty Ledford and talked their way inside. Soon after Roy Ramsey would pull out a gun and rob the couple before shooting the pair
Roy Ramsey would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Roy Ramsey would be executed by lethal injection on April 14 1999
Roy Ramsey Photos
Roy Ramsey Case
On November 21, 1988 Roy Ramsey accompanied by his brother Billy Ramsey and Billy’s girlfriend Angela Ray drove to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Garnett and Betty Ledford in Grandview, Missouri. The Ramseys knocked on the door and Mr. Ledford answered. Billy Ramsey reminded Mr. Ledford that they had previously been acquainted through the Ledfords’ son-in-law who had served time in jail with Billy Ramsey. Mr. Ledford talked to the Ramseys for awhile whereupon Roy Ramsey pulled out a .22 caliber pistol and ordered everyone inside.
Inside the Ledford home they confronted Mrs. Ledford. Roy Ramsey pointed the gun at her and demanded that she give them money, jewelry and other valuables. Mr. and Mrs. Ledford were ordered into their bedroom where Mrs. Ledford opened a safe. While Roy stayed with the Ledfords Billy went through the house and took guns and a video cassette recorder and placed them beside the front door.
Roy Ramsey placed the items from the safe into a pillowcase. Billy returned to the living room with the pillowcase and was preparing to leave when he heard a series of gunshots. Roy Ramsey later told his brother that he had to kill the Ledfords because they could identify Billy and would be able to pick him out of a lineup.
The three, hen drove back to the Ramsey family home. During the ride back home Billy Ramsey took money from Mr. Ledford’s wallet and then threw the wallet out of the car. The wallet was later found that afternoon by two schoolgirls with Mr. Ledford’s identification in it. Laboratory analysis later discovered Billy Ramsey’s fingerprints on the wallet.
At the Ramseys’ home the Lefords’ possessions were divided among Roy, Billy and their mother Effie Ramsey. The items taken were cash, jewelry, guns and silver coins amounting to about $7,500. Learning that his brother received a larger share of the loot Billy Ramsey took the murder weapon and pawned it.
A few days later when Angela Ray learned that the Ledfords had been killed during the robbery she became angry whereupon Roy Ramsey threatened to kill her if she told any one of the incident. Angela Ray then fled to Memphis, Tennessee. After connecting the Ramseys to the Ledford murder through the wallet, the police found Angela Ray and interviewed her.
On November 26, 1988 Ray Ramsey was taken into custody and one of the silver coins stolen from the Ledfords was found in his possession. Ballistics examinations determined that the bullets retrieved from the Ledfords matched shell casings found at the scene of the murder and had been fired from Ramsey’s .22 caliber pistol.
State of Missouri v. Roy Ramsey
