Dateline investigates the 2013 disappearance and murder of 36-year-old Maribel Ramos. Two weeks after the Iraq War Army veteran and Cal State Fullerton criminal justice student went missing from her home in Orange, California, her roommate used Google Maps to view satellite images of a patch of Santiago Canyon. When authorities found Ramos’ body there, they arrested her roommate of two years, Kwang Chol “K.C.” Joy, 55, and charged him with Ramos’ murder. He pleaded not guilty. On the day of her disappearance, Ramos and Joy argued over money. When Joy reportedly couldn’t pay his share of the rent, Ramos wanted him out of the apartment.
During Ramos’ disappearance, Joy used a library public computer and searched for how long it takes a human body to decay. He also looked up a Facebook event for a search party for Ramos through Peters Canyon. He searched for the address of where the search would begin and then zoomed back on the location in Santiago Canyon, and then cleared his Internet search history. Orange County District Attorney Simmons said, “The defendant did a virtual drive-by of where he dumped the body.”
There was no evidence to tie Joy directly to Ramos’ murder and Joy has maintained his innocence. Prior to the trial, Joy agreed to a media interview from prison. According to CBS Los Angeles, Joy said he was not suicidal despite being held in isolation and released from suicide watch prior to the interview. “If I commit suicide it means I’m admitting I’m guilty,” said Joy.
In 2014, a jury found Joy guilty of second degree murder. At his sentencing, Joy said, “I cared for Maribel more than anyone in here. She knows it; she told me so.” He was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. Dateline airs Saturdays at 9 pm on NBC.
