Man sentenced for domestic violence that almost killed estranged wife in Clovis

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- As an attempted killer now heads to prison, his victim remains rattled and fears Manuel Ramirez will not stop.

"Manuel really hurt me and us. I am still afraid of him. I think he will not stop until he kills us," the victim wrote in a message spoken by prosecutor Kelly Smith in court.

Action News is not naming the victim due to the nature of the crime.

"On February 13, 2024, Manuel shot me in my head after beating me up. Our daughter witnessed (it) all. She was only five years old," she wrote.

The domestic violence unfolded in a Clovis neighborhood.

Miles away in Fresno, police arrested Ramirez after a tense standoff.

He held his hands in the air as a SWAT team moved in.

It was a much different scene in court on Thursday.

"I take full responsibility for my actions and the consequences that come with it," Ramirez said.

His full apology comes after he pleaded no contest to trying to kill his estranged wife.

The plea was part of a deal. Prosecutors agreed to drop one count of corporal injury and another count of child abuse.

Ramirez's stepfather says the behavior was out of character.

"I have consistently witnessed a man who embodies love and care," Brandon Stebbins said.

But in her letter, the victim detailed years of abuse.

She says it happened behind closed doors and expressed feeling trapped.

"I was very afraid of him and hesitant to leave him," she wrote.

"He knew where every one of my family members was."

Moments after that statement, the judge handed down the sentence.

Ramirez will now spend 27 years to life in state prison.

"This is an unthinkable situation that each of your families are having to endure," Fresno County Superior Court Judge William Terrence said.

With the victim's ongoing fears for her life, the judge also granted a new protective order. Ramirez cannot contact his estranged wife or daughter.

If you are the victim of domestic abuse, or you know someone who is, there is help available 24/7. In Fresno County, call the Marjaree Mason Center at (559) 233-4357. In all other locations, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233.

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