Jury Convicts Man in 2020 Stabbing
Johnny Ramirez was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Ricardo Gallardo, while his co-defendant remains a fugitive.
By Rosa Wojcik ·
Eleven puncture wounds to his head, chest, and stomach ended the life of Ricardo Gallardo on a November night in 2020. Tuesday, a Riverside County jury convicted Johnny Ramirez, 34, of second-degree murder in connection with that fatal attack in Cathedral City.
The jury deliberated for approximately one day before returning its verdict. They were unable to reach a unanimous decision on a sentence-enhancing allegation regarding the use of a weapon. Judge Matthew Perantoni declared the count deadlocked, a move that will likely result in the dismissal of that specific enhancement. Ramirez, who resides in Escondido, is currently being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail. No sentencing hearing has been scheduled yet.
The conviction stems from an incident on November 23, 2020. According to trial briefs from the District Attorney’s Office, Ramirez and his co-defendant, Edgar Navez, 33, were driving through Cathedral City when Ramirez parked near Aliso Road and Avenida Del Yerma. The two men exited their vehicle and walked the area. When Gallardo, then 24, passed by, a shouting match erupted, primarily between him and Navez. Investigators later confirmed the defendants had gang affiliations, though the exact cause of the hostility remained unclear.
Prosecutors alleged that Navez pulled a knife, prompting Gallardo to run. Navez chased him, with Ramirez trailing behind by a few seconds. Navez caught up to the victim and knocked him to the ground before beginning to stab him. A low-quality security video from a nearby business captured part of the assault. The footage indicated that Ramirez either stabbed or punched the victim as well.
After the attack, the two men fled. Gallardo managed to stumble toward the intersection of Ramon Road and Avenida Del Yermo, where bystanders noticed him and called 911. He was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he died that night. During his escape, Ramirez dropped his mobile phone in front of a store. A clerk spotted the device on the sidewalk and alerted patrol officers, who seized it for homicide detectives.
The phone was not fully downloaded until 2023 due to technological limitations. A search warrant revealed a video of Ramirez driving with Navez in the passenger seat eight minutes before the attack. Other clips showed the two men posing with handguns and making gang signs. Navez, described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and 160 pounds, fled before a warrant could be served and remains at large with an unknown whereabouts. He faces charges of first-degree murder.
Ramirez was arrested without incident on August 8, 2023, in Escondido. During questioning, he stated that he did not stop the assault because he did not want to get himself hurt. Details regarding his prior felony conviction, which occurred outside of Riverside County, were not available in the court records.
