A US navy sailor out on bond for a torture-like sexual assault against a fellow member of the armed forces has been charged with allegedly murdering a woman in Texas.
Julian Jefferson, 20, stands accused of killing Denise Lissette Ramos, 22, at her home in Fairfield, Texas, on March 28.
Ramos failed to show up for work that day, which led to the discovery of her body.
Jefferson was already embroiled in ongoing military proceedings, in which he pleaded guilty prior to Ramos' murder.
The unrelated sexual assault took place on January 14, 2023, according to documents obtained by CBS/Telemundo affiliate KWTX.
At a naval base in California, after midnight on the night in question, the sexual assault victim texted Jefferson to complain that his conversations were too loud and she was trying to sleep.
He replied, apologizing for the noise, saying he would lower it down. However, later that night, the victim awoke to three loud knocks at her door.
While she didn't see anyone through her peephole the first time, similar incidents continued throughout the evening until she caught Jefferson mid-knock.
After entering the victim's room, a violent fight ensued.
Fearing for her life, the woman began to scream at the top of her lungs before she went limp and feigned losing consciousness, hoping her attack would leave.
What followed was a brutal, two-hour-long sexual assault before leaving the woman on the floor and exiting the room.
She immediately got up and ran for help, describing the ordeal as torture-like.
Jefferson pleaded guilty to one count of burglary with intent to commit certain offenses and two counts of rape by using unlawful force in May.
He was sentenced to five years in prison for the burglary count and 20 years each on the rape counts, to be served concurrently.
The defendant now faces extradition to Texas to be tried in front of a grand jury for the murder of Ramos.
At the time of the murder charge, Jefferson was in the brig at Miramar, according to Law & Crime.
Little details have been provided on Ramos' murder, but a GoFundMe has been set up by her family to celebrate her life.
Ramos' father, Luis Ramos, disclosed that Jefferson had previously come to Fairfield while on leave after being granted bond in the rape case. He also stated that the accused had ties to Fairfield and that there had been some sort of prior incident involving the defendant.
"It's left a huge scar on our family life, not only for myself and my wife, but for my younger children," Ramos told KWTX.
Her family describes Lissette as a "truly beautiful soul."
