Supreme Court denies appeal in 1993 killing of family
The U.S. Supreme Court will not consider an appeal from a man convicted of killing a family southeast of Yakima when he was 14 years old.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reported Thursday that Joel Ramos had argued that a Yakima County Superior Court judge wrongfully sentenced him to consecutive adult sentences because he was a juvenile when the 1993 killings occurred.
Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney Joe Brusic says the court recently rejected his appeal.
Ramos pleaded guilty to murder charges in the deaths of Lynn and Michael Skelton and sons Jason, 12, and Bryan, 6 in their Outlook home.
Prosecutors say Miguel Gaitan stabbed the couple and older son, while Ramos killed Bryan.
Ramos was sentenced to four consecutive 20-year sentences, and during a 2013 hearing the sentences were reaffirmed with an extra five years added for Bryan’s murder.
