A 65-year-old St. Paul man, Robert L. Ramsey, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for fatally stabbing his 70-year-old neighbor, Lester Haynes, in a violent dispute over money.
Ramsey pleaded guilty last month to unintentional murder for the death of Haynes, who was found stabbed in the hallway of their apartment building on November 3. The gruesome details of the crime were revealed during Ramsey's sentencing hearing, where he received credit for the nearly 10 months he has already spent behind bars.
According to eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage, the argument between Ramsey and Haynes began when Ramsey showed up at Haynes' apartment while his friend was watching football with him. The dispute quickly escalated into a physical altercation, with both men engaging in a fierce struggle. The hallway video captured Haynes being pushed by Ramsey, who then grabbed hold of his clothing as they tussled.
The violent confrontation continued outside Haynes' apartment door, where Ramsey allegedly stabbed Haynes multiple times, including a fatal blow to the left torso. Haynes managed to crawl and grab onto Ramsey's legs while sitting on the floor, but he was unable to escape as Ramsey repeatedly tried to stab him in the neck and upper torso.
Miraculously, police found the blade of a filet knife lodged in Haynes' body, which had been removed by a witness who intervened. Paramedics were called, and Haynes was rushed to Regions Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
At the time of his arrest, Ramsey showed no visible injuries on his face or neck area despite having a Band-Aid on his thumb. He refused to make any statements to police.
The sentence brings closure to the Haynes family and reflects the severity of the crime committed by Ramsey. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from violent disputes over trivial matters, highlighting the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully and seeking help when necessary.
Ramsey pleaded guilty last month to unintentional murder for the death of Haynes, who was found stabbed in the hallway of their apartment building on November 3. The gruesome details of the crime were revealed during Ramsey's sentencing hearing, where he received credit for the nearly 10 months he has already spent behind bars.
According to eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage, the argument between Ramsey and Haynes began when Ramsey showed up at Haynes' apartment while his friend was watching football with him. The dispute quickly escalated into a physical altercation, with both men engaging in a fierce struggle. The hallway video captured Haynes being pushed by Ramsey, who then grabbed hold of his clothing as they tussled.
The violent confrontation continued outside Haynes' apartment door, where Ramsey allegedly stabbed Haynes multiple times, including a fatal blow to the left torso. Haynes managed to crawl and grab onto Ramsey's legs while sitting on the floor, but he was unable to escape as Ramsey repeatedly tried to stab him in the neck and upper torso.
Miraculously, police found the blade of a filet knife lodged in Haynes' body, which had been removed by a witness who intervened. Paramedics were called, and Haynes was rushed to Regions Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
At the time of his arrest, Ramsey showed no visible injuries on his face or neck area despite having a Band-Aid on his thumb. He refused to make any statements to police.
The sentence brings closure to the Haynes family and reflects the severity of the crime committed by Ramsey. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from violent disputes over trivial matters, highlighting the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully and seeking help when necessary.
, i mean 15 years in prison is fair considering what he did, but it feels like not enough to be honest 
. you think about it, a fight over some money led to the death of an old dude... that's wild 
. and the fact that he didn't even get hurt from the stabbing and was all good after being arrested is just crazy 
. i guess this sentence will help bring closure to lester haynes' family but still it's just a reminder of how violent we can be when we let our emotions take over 
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. Anyway, yeah, I guess 15 years is better than no time at all, but it still seems like a pretty excessive punishment to me 
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it's crazy how things can escalate so fast into violence. and what really gets me is that ramsey didn't even show any signs of injury during the arrest, but had a bandaid on his thumb 
. It's just heartbreaking to think about an old man like Lester Haynes meeting such a brutal end 
. 15 years in prison is definitely a fair sentence for the guy who pleaded guilty, but you can't help feeling that justice doesn't always come with closure 
. And to think he was able to walk out of the police station without a scratch and refusing to talk about it, that's just crazy 
. It's moments like these that make you wish people would take a step back and sort things out peacefully before things get physical 
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15 yrs in prison is way too harsh but I guess someone's gotta pay for it 
anyway you feel safe walking around your neighborhood at night or not? 
. Ramsey's already spent 10 months in prison, so another 5 years could've been better justice, IMHO 
. And what's with the Band-Aid on his thumb? Sounds like he might've broken it during the fight 
. 15 years is a long time, but at least it shows that Robert Ramsey will have to face the consequences of his actions. You know what really gets me? The fact that he had a Band-Aid on his thumb and showed no visible injuries yet stabbed someone to death 
. It's just crazy how some people can be so reckless with their actions. I'm not saying this is going to prevent others from making the same mistakes, but I do hope it makes people think twice before resorting to violence 
?
what about the victim's family who has to live with this guilt for the rest of their lives? His friend witness saw him try to stab the guy multiple times but still only got a 15-yr sentence 
