US

Capital Gazette Gunman Sentenced To 5 Life Terms Without Parole

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Kevin Harness Contributor
Font Size:

The Maryland gunman involved in the Capital Gazette shooting in 2018 was sentenced Tuesday to five life terms without possibility of parole.

Jarrod Ramos was sentenced for the murders of Capital Gazette employees Gerald Fischman, Robert Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters, along with gun and assault-related charges, Maryland Matters reported. (RELATED: Capital Gazette Shooter Pleads Guilty In Deaths Of 5 Gazette Staffers, Uses Insanity Defense)

Judge Michael Wachs, who was involved in Ramos’ case, sentenced him to another life sentence for the attempted murder of another staffer, Paul Gillespie. He also gave Ramos six sentences of 25 years for first-degree assault of the survivors and 11 sentences of 20 years for 11 counts of violent use of a firearm, according to Maryland Matters.

Ramos did plead guilty to the crimes, but denied that he was criminally responsible using Maryland’s version of an insanity plea, WJZ-TV reported. Ramos was determined to be mentally capable, however, and the jury decided he should be held accountable for his crimes, Maryland Matters reported.

Some believe Ramos targeted the Capital Gazette because the publication released a column about Ramos’ guilty plea in a harassment lawsuit in 2011. Ramos filed a lawsuit against the newspaper and others but it was dismissed in 2015, according to a report from Maryland Matters.