MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A second day of testimony is scheduled Wednesday in Monongalia County Circuit Court in the murder trial of a Texas man.
Monongalia County prosecutors called 12 witnesses to the stand Tuesday in the trial of Jonathan Ramirez.
Ramirez, 24, of Watauga, Texas, allegedly stabbed to death Jacob Lough, 26, in Lough’s Morgantown apartment in January 2024 while Lough was sleeping. Prosecutors said the two had no prior relationship. Prosecutors allege Ramirez came to West Virginia to meet an underaged girl in Wayne County and then traveled to Morgantown where he got kicked out of a hotel and then began checking homes in a nearby neighborhood for an open door.
Following opening statements, Monongalia County Prosecutor Gabe Mucciola asked questions of a combination of Suncrest neighborhood residents, where Ramirez was allegedly shown on camera attempting to stake out multiple victims, as well as investigating detectives, responding officers, and a West Virginia resident who began an online relationship with him while she was underage.
“The defendant stands before you charged with first-degree murder, burglary, and grand larceny, the state’s case over the course of the next couple of days will show his guilt by each of those counts,” said Mucciola.
Monongalia County Public Defender Andrew Cook gave a brief opening statement to the 12-member jury reminding the panel that Ramirez stood before them an innocent man the burden of proof was on the prosecution.
Close to a dozen testimonies were heard on the first day in the murder trial of a Texas man who is accused of killing a Learfield/Mountaineer Sports Properties employee in Morgantown and stealing his vehicle back in January 2024.
Morgantown Police Department Detective Todd Judy and First Sergeant Brandon Viola each testified to discovering both surveillance footage and physical evidence pointing to Ramirez killing Lough. Based on surveillance footage from the Hampton Inn on Van Voorhis Road, where Ramirez was found to have stayed at least one night before walking into the Suncrest neighborhood where Lough lived, he was found to have knocked on nearly every single door on the floor he was staying at, where he also appeared to be holding a knife while walking around the hallway. After being reported on by hotel staff and leaving for the Suncrest area, police were able to determine his next actions rather quickly as the investigation continued. This included evidence found at the scene and on Ramirez’s personal items.
“There’s a photograph he took of himself fully in costume, mask, coveralls, and knife,” said Mucciola. “The same knife that was recovered under Jacob’s couch—you’ll see in one of those photos, that man is smiling.”
Along with details from investigators and officers with the Morgantown Police Department, the prosecution also introduced testimony from Lough’s co-worker, who discovered his body while making a welfare check, along with three Suncrest neighborhood residents who testified to allegedly seeing Ramirez on their property or saw evidence he was there at some point the night of the murder.
“Jacob’s wounds included 215 stab wounds, 132 of those were just in between his back and neck,” said Mucciola. “There were also multiple blunt force injuries, presumably from the brass knuckles used. This evidence, ladies and gentlemen, will be hard to hear and hard to see but it shows the motive of murder, it shows this man’s malice, and it shows this man’s premeditation.”
Lough worked for Learfield/Mountaineer Sports Properties. He was originally from Virginia.
The prosecution will continue to present its case Wednesday morning.