MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Monongalia County jury deliberated for about 30 minutes Thursday morning before reaching a guilty verdict on all charges in the case against Jonathan Ramirez in the January 2024 murder of Jacob Lough.
The mercy phase of the trial was set to start at 2 p.m. Thursday. The same jury that convicted him of murder will decide if he should get a chance for parole in 15 years.
Ramirez, 24, of Watauga, Texas, traveled to West Virginia in mid-January 2024 to meet a teen girl and when that fell through he ended up in Morgantown.
Ramirez stayed at the Hampton Inn on Van Voorhis Road before walking to a nearby neighborhood and eventually into Lough’s residence on Milford Street in Suncrest.
He stabbed Lough, 26, more than 200 times and then robbed him. Ramirez stole Lough’s clothes and car. He walking on the WVU campus when he was arrested several hours after the murder.
Ramirez offered very little defense during the trial. He did not testify.
He was convicted for the crimes of first-degree murder, burglary and grand larceny.
Lough, who was originally from Virginia, worked for Learfield/Mountaineer Sports Properties.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Reporter Joe Nelson contributed to this story.