Derrick Donchak, 18, Brandon Piekarsky, 16, and Colin Walsh, 17, have been charged in the beating death of Luis Ramirez in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. Ramirez died on Monday from injuries sustained during the attack.
Almost a full week after Mexican migrant Luis Ramirez was beaten to death in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, charges have finally been brought against three suspects. The Republican Herald reports that two teenagers have been charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault:
Two teens were charged with homicide in connection with the July 12 beating and subsequent death of Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala in Shenandoah. A third faces other charges related to the incident.
Brandon Piekarsky, 16 and Colin Walsh, 17, both of Shenandoah, are incarcerated in Schuylkill County Prison after being arraigned before Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon on Friday morning.
Piekarsky and Walsh are both charged with one count each of criminal homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault, and ethnic intimidation.”
Read the full aticle here.
Eyewitnesses say at least six boys took part in the beating that cost Ramirez his life, so I’m curious to see if any more people will be charged in this case.
T'ings 'n Times 
Is the indictment against the police officers available online yet??
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I’m white, from Lancaster County, Pa. I go up to the “Coal Regions”, occasionally, where Shenandoah is located. I almost got the sh*t beat out of me in a bar there one night, not because of my race, but cause I was an “outsider”. Most people up there are nice, but it only takes a few bad apples. OK, let me see if I have this right. Ramirez has the courage to take on several drunk teenagers after one says some smart shit. Naturally, being outnumbered, he gets knocked out. So then, while he’s on the ground UNCONSCIOUS, he gets kicked in the head so hard part of his brain oozes from his skull–and nobody’s convicted of murder. Here in Lancaster County, juvenals get like 40 years for this kind of stuff. Schuylkill County is like 95 % white, and it’s an all white jury. This is like something out of the South in the 50’s.
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I AM NO TRACIST BUT TODAY I WAS WATCHING THE NEWS AND IT HURT ME..4 TEENS BEATING A LUIS RAMIREZ[R.I.P] THEY SHOULD ALL BE SENTACE THE PART I HATED MOST WAS ON THE GUY DATING THE MOTHER OF ONE OF THE TEENS HE DIDNT DO ANYHTING AND THE PARENTS CELEBRATING I HATE THOSE KIND OF PARENT THESE TEENS STILL HAVE THEIR PARENT BUT THEY LEFT LUIS RAMIREZ[R.I.P] CHILDREN WITHOUT A FATHER AND A MOTHER CRYING OUTLOUD FOR HER SON THIS HURTS ME NOT JUST CAUSE IM MEXICAN LIKE I SAID BEFORE IM NOT A RACIST PERON BUT THESE FOUR GUYS AND THEIR PARENTS SHOULD BE SORRY
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THESE MURDERS WILL ONE DAY COMMIT ANOTHER CRIME AND I HOPE THEY WILL PAY FOR THE CRIMES AND INCLUDE THE JURORS FOR THERE PLAY IN THE ACTIONS. THIS TOWN IS FULL OF RACIAL PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN THERE TOWN BUT ALLOW THEM TO WORK OR PENNIES AND TO DO THE WORK THEY WON’T DO THEY WILL NOT GO PICK THE FRUITS AND VEGGIES THAT ARE ON THE TABLES THAT THEY GO BUY AT THERE SUPERMARKETS. MAYBE THESE MEXICANS SHOULD STOP AND SEE IF THESE RACIAL COWARDS WILL GO OUT AND WORK FOR PENNIES.
WE SHOULD ALL WRITE TO PRESIDENT OBAMA LIKE I AM ASKING FOR JUSTICE FOR THIS CRIME. LETS SEE IF THEY HAVE RACIAL FEELINGS AGAINST OBAMA TOO. OBAMA IS JUST WONDERFUL FOR TRYING TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATE NO MATTER WHAT COLOR OR RACE THEY ARE.
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THESE MURDERS WILL ONE DAY COMMIT ANOTHER CRIME AND I HOPE THEY WILL PAY FOR THE CRIMES AND INCLUDE THE JURORS FOR THERE PLAY IN THE ACTIONS. THIS TOWN IS FULL OF RACIAL PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN THERE TOWN BUT ALLOW THEM TO WORK OR PENNIES AND TO DO THE WORK THEY WON’T DO THEY WILL NOT GO PICK THE FRUITS AND VEGGIES THAT ARE ON THE TABLES THAT THEY GO BUY AT THERE SUPERMARKETS. MAYBE THESE MEXICANS SHOULD STOP AND SEE IF THESE RACIAL COWARDS WILL GO OUT AND WORK FOR PENNIES.
WE SHOULD ALL WRITE TO PRESIDENT OBAMA LIKE I AM ASKING FOR JUSTICE FOR THIS CRIME. IT WAS JUST WRONG ARE THESE RACIAL COWARDS HAVE RACIAL FEELINGS AGAINST HIM ALSO.
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One night I was watching cnn news and they showed the most horrific scene . two American civilian in Irak were shot and burnt to a charcoal stage their bodies were dragged from behind a car and displayed like trophies, men women and children were jumping up and down of joy. Something similar, happened in Pennsylvania with a young man from mexico [Ramirez] he was killed by these several criminals, the whole town thought that it was funny,coming out of the court house after the jurer’s decision laughing ,smiling ,their joy seemed like when you come out of comedy club or a baseball game when your favorite team wins, just like those in Irak when they killed these two innocent Americans just because they were Americans, we go to other countries to protect human rights,we practice that here as well, but when i see these images i asked myself do we really practice what we preach,and i wonder how the world look at us when they see these unjustice ruling .
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Sad… Very Sad. Our Nation is going under with pure ignorance and bigotry. I hope these boys don’t commit another crime like this again. Because everyone on that jury will look like fools for allowing this to happen in the first place.
….for the land of the enslaved, and the home of cowards……
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Stop Hate.
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Hatred. when you give hate power it takes over, it destroys, it punishes, it hurts, it grows, it fights back.
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Since these killers were set free, don’t get surprised if they kill again. There are criminals out there, immigrants and non-immigrants, but there are also inocent people that positively contribute to this country. And no one deserves to be killed like that, nor whites, or people of color. The law will now teach these young men that beating a man to death (due the color of his skin) is acceptable. If the victim would have been white, and the killers from a minority, they would ‘ve been sentenced to death. My condolences to his family.
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It’s funny that people think Luis asked to get killed and then bring up the fact that he was an illegal immigrant as an excuse. You might as well say Black people asked to be brought here on slave ships and have there wives raped and family sold off. Regardless of how you feel Luis was a person who bled red blood like everyone else.
Once he moved here and began building a life he was entitled to be protected by the laws that white people would demand for themselves.
The trial should not have taken place in Shenandoah but have been tried somewhere else; with a jury that was not connected to the community and the people who live in Shenandoah. For a jury of 12 people to sit and find these ANIMALS “Yes ANIMALS” guilty of assault but not murder is outrages. The assault caused the death so these “ANIMALS” are guilty of murder!
No way in this world could you expect a jury or a judge to fairly decide innocents or guilt because people will always bring in prejudices either consciously or sub-consciously. This one case that has angered so many is just one example of how the American justice system continues to fail common people.
I pray that the Department of Justice investigate this case, the jury, and re-try these ANIMALS in federal court. If that doesn’t happen I’m sure they will get theirs, if not in this life then in the next life.
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dummies, the 15 year old girl that Luis was walking home was his sister in law. I’m assuming he was walking her home to protect her.
What other crime did he commit?
People complain about immigrants yet reap the benefits of saving cash while some small business owner pays them peanuts.
This is such a sad story and the verdict sends a horrible message. These racist will not only target mexicans but gays, blacks and anyone else who is different then them.
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Don’t invade America, knock up twelve year old girls and then attack teenagers. They might just beat you to death.
The media has not been doing its job in properly reporting the relevant details of this affair.
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I’d be “Annoyed” too if I was this ignorant…
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It just read the young cowardly less than men were set free after murdering this guy. Apparantly, the juries in Shanandoah PA come from the same mold as the OJ jury.
If the Shanandoah community had any decent parents, this deliberate tragedy would never have occured.
Isn’t this the same area of PA where the skinheads thrive?
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I think you better log on to the trial and check the facts of everything you are saying because you are doing alot of accussing of these boys that is not true…Ramirez handed over his medallion and shirt to his 14 year old girlfriend so he could fight. he wanted to fight and called all of his buddies, as far as i’m concerned everyone is quilty including ramirez yes unfortunately he died but that’s the chance you take when he decided to fight..He also could have walked away..
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Steph your allegations might be right, but as we know killing a human being is a federal crime and if he did or didn’t want to fight does not acquit this teens from murder charges. This case is definitely going to be revised and reopened in a federal state of matter.
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Wow, do you really think that if Ramirez were to walk away from the fight that these drunk teens wouldnt still go after him? I really doubt that they wouldve left him alone. No, not everybody here is guilty and no, it’s not just “unfortunate” that he died, it’s an absolute outrage!
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J M,
That’s certainly an interesting take on this case.
Here’s another: if those boys had been raised better they might not have been out in the woods drinking 40s of malt liquor and they might not have felt the need to provoke a fight with a man they didn’t know, nor to call him racial slurs when he responded with hostility. They would have had more honor and dignity than to gang up on him, and Walsh would have had more honor than to sucker-punch him while he was fighting Donchak, and Piekarsky would have had enough decency to know that you shouldn’t kick a man when he’s down, especially when he’s unconscious.
But I do take you point. A lot of things could have been different and Luis Ramirez would still be alive today, while three White teenagers would not be on trial for murder and ethnic intimidation.
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Well, I certainly sympathize with the victim and his surviving family. There is no room in today’s world for people who committed this terrible act. However, even though I empathize with these victims, I cannot help but point out that there was a law broken first when he stepped over our sovereign border illegally. Of course he is not to blame for this, we are. If every employer would turn any potential worker down for a job who cannot absolutely prove they can legally work, there would not be any illegal workers on our streets at night with underage girls getting beat up by unruly teenagers who should be home sleeping because they have a job to go to the next day. This cycle has many victims and defendants and it may never stop because of we who want it cheaper at all costs. Well here is a cost we all must pay. Luis Ramirez paid his cost. ours is living with the inevitable consequences of those boys actions.
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Anti-Racist,
I get some pretty ridiculous comments on my blog but yours definitely takes the cake.
You’re welcome to present evidence here that Luis Ramirez assaulted a 14-year-old girl if you have it.
But what does that have to do with the fact that he was beaten to death? Did Colin, Brandon, and Derrick beat him to death because they were aware of his alleged past?
Secondly, even if Luis Ramirez had been on death row for murder, it’s still against the law for someone to beat him to death. There’s such a thing called the law, and it says you can’t kill someone.
This can’t really be that hard to understand, can it?
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Guilt is obviously already decided in this case. No one is interested in the fourteen year old girl Ramirez was convicted of assaulting or the arrest warrant that was out for him.
Whitey beat a bro to death and so the media and all the suicidal liberals out there are lining up to make an example of the crackers.
May all the white devils be driven out of Aztlan and may the blood flow to feed Santo Muerta and Quetzalcoatl.
LCM my Wrinkled Ass.
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If Mr. Ramirez was guilty of anything, the most “just” thing would have been to have the police arrest him so he could have due process.
Hopefully, the police and justice system would have allowed that (I still have my doubts – in light of what the justice system actually did)
The boys who beat the man was wrong, pure and simple. period.
I hope this gets people talking so that it doesn’t appear that he died in vain.
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I am from Iramuco, Gto … the town where Luis Ramirez was from. I was on vacation to see my granparents and I saw the family burried him. There were a lot of stories in the town but it was a shocck to me when I searched on the internet for answers. His family has a very good reputation of being farmers and hard working people. I took pictures of his funeral without knowing what had happen to him here.
All my respects and condolences to all the family.
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hi im sorry but i just came across this page and i was wondering if you had the photos of luis’s funeral i am his childrens mother i wasnt able to attend due to court and everything that was going on if you dont i completely understand and im sorry to bother you… thank you.
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Do criminals always have support? I dont know any myself, not directly anyway, but I am astounded by the support that offenders (of all kinds) get even when it’s a clear cut case like this one. Very sad indeed.
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They are at the prison my cousin works at and I told him to make there prison years a living hell. and he is! I pitty them pussies when they get out, well not really because when they get out of prison they will pay the price. and there parents are to blame for being dopes for parents. they are racist scumbags and I hope there lives are a living hell. they are better off killing themselves because when I see them I will kill them! God bless Luis Ramirez and his family and Fiancee! I will keep them in My prayers. im dissapointed in america.
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supporters?,
You shouldn’t be shocked to hear that there are people who are not only defending but also applauding the killing of Luis Ramirez. Just do a Google search on “PA Pundits Luis Ramirez” and you’ll get a whiff of what support for a hate crime smells like.
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LCM,
They (the goons) have supporters? I’m outraged!!
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thanks,
The world does work in a very sad way sometimes. Hopefully the friends and family of Luis Ramirez are getting the help and support they need.
And hopefully the people who killed Luis Ramirez will get the justice they deserve.
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LCM,
Thanks for reading my blog and leaving a comment. I echo your sentiments entirely. I think it’s terrible that these guys picked a fight with Luis Ramirez when they so outnumbered him. One of the eyewitnesses says his assailants had been drinking, and the alcohol-related charges reported in the Republican Herald seems to point to this fact. Getting drunk and beating up minorities is an age-old tradition in some parts.
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Thanks for the update.
I am saddened by the way the world works. But you know what, at least we get to hear these stories. In some countries, these things happen but no one ever knows. It’s not much, but it’s something, you know? Perhaps I’m just trying to look for something positive to hold on to, but what’s the alternative?
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What miserable cowards; not one of them was man enough to go mano a mano with Luis, they needed six
yellow bellied, nutless goons to beat and kill one innocent young man. Pathetic and sickening. Shame on them and their supporters.
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I TOTALLY AGREE THEY SHOULD BE PUNISHED!!!!
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