BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — A judge sentenced Caysen Allison to 10 years in prison Monday for the stabbing death of Joe Ramirez, bringing some closure to a grieving family after more than three years of waiting for justice
- Nine witnesses testified about the impact of Ramirez's death, including a Belton ISD teacher who retired because of the incident.
- Allison's parents expressed fear about a potential "hit" on his son by Joe's biological father.
- Amanda Rios told Allison: "I have waited 1,147 days to look at you and tell you how much of a coward you are." She also stated: "you serve this measly sentence, while I serve a life sentence without my son."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The maximum sentence.
“To hear him say that was what we had prayed for,” said Amanda Rios, the mother of Joe Ramirez.
Monday morning, Judge Wade Faulker used the evidence brought into court to sentence Caysen Allison to 10 years in prison. This comes just two months after Allison was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the stabbing death of Joe Ramirez.
“It’s still not enough but it’s what we could get today,” Rios said
The Judge heard from nine witnesses Monday morning, several testifying to the impact Joe’s death has had on their lives. One Belton ISD teacher testified that the incident was the reason for her retirement. The defense called three witnesses, both of Caysen’s parents and his counselor.
Allison's father testified about the fear of hit being put out on his son by Ramirez's biological father who the defense says is in prison.
Allison's mother testified that she prays for the Rios family every day and feels awful about what happened. She, too, shares the same fear as Allion's father saying, “The longer he’s in that environment, the more likely harm comes to him.”
After the judge sentenced Allison, cheers erupted from Ramirez's side of the courtroom. And while Ramirez's mother, Amanda Rios, took the stand one last time with the opportunity to speak face to face to Caysen, she said, “I have waited 1,147 days to look at you and tell you how much of a coward you are” and quote “you serve this measly sentence, while I serve a life sentence without my son.”
She ended with “you took the son of the wrong mama.”
During her statement, several people from Allion's side of the gallery left the courtroom. After Allison was taken away in handcuffs, 25 News Reporter Dominique Leh had the opportunity to exclusively speak with Joe Ramirez’s parents after the sentencing came down.
25 News asked Amanda Rios about the fear Allion's family has about harm coming to him.
“There’s no hits out on him, I know people feel the way they feel, it’s no influence of my family, if something happens it’s God’s will,” Rios said.
Now Ramirez's family says they have no choice but to keep moving forward and keep his memory alive.
“Joe’s on our shirt all the time, or he’s on our car, his face is everywhere, and it’s just our way of keeping him in our family, it’s a reminder that he’s in our heart,” said Rios.
Sentencing Testimony:
In court, we heard from a Belton ISD nurse who testified about her sleepless nights since rendering aid to Joe.
A Belton ISD teacher testified, “Joe actually died in [his] arms,” and now lives with anxiety at work, and said his death has surfaced PTSD from his deployment in Afghanistan.
We also heard from a former Belton ISD teacher, who taught for nine years, and testified that this incident is the reason she is now retired.
The court also heard from Joe Ramirez’s aunt, who described Joe as kind, loving and caring. She testified that her family’s lives will never be the same, and asked the judge for the maximum sentence on Allison.
Joe’s sister, Alejandra Ramirez, called him her best friend. She testified that the nights without him are the worst, and when the defense asked her if she could forgive Allison, she said she didn’t know.
The state’s final witness, Amanda Rios, was emotional on the stand, shedding tears as she described Joe as a momma’s boy, saying that even at their happiest and when things are going great, it’s not.
In relation to Allison, she said, "he gets to carry on, he gets to live a life, my son does not,” during Amanda Rios’ time on the stand she accused the defense of lying about their family and bullying them during the trial calling them a gang, to which she responded, “We are a family, not a gang.”
When the defense asked if Amanda Rios was able to forgive Allison, she said, “absolutely not.”
When the defense asked if Amanda Rios wanted harm to come to Allison, she answered, "I’m not against it.”
The defense then called Caysen Allison's father, James Allison, to the stand, who says Caysen has “grown up a lot,” and is “more serious now.”
He also testified he is scared for his son going to prison saying, “I don’t know what’s going to happen in there,” and he’s, “afraid a hit has been put out on Caysen from Joe’s biological father in prison.”
The defense also asked James Allison if he was begging the court for mercy. Allison answered, “I am.”
A counselor Caysen Allison has seen for three years took that stand, testifying she has seen Allison transform himself and is, “very regretful” from the incident and believes he is, “highly committed to redeem himself in the eyes of society.”
When asked if prison benefits Allison, the counselor answered, “I don’t think it benefits Caysen nor benefits society.”
Denise Allison was the last witness to take the stand. She expressed deep remorse to the Rios family, saying, “We pray for them every day.” She described Caysen as a thoughtful and subdued young man.
She asked the judge for a lighter sentence, saying, “I’m terrified” and “the longer he’s in that environment, the more likely harm comes to him.”
Denise Allison claims her family has received multiple threats, yet they have never responded to them.
She also testified that since Ramirez's death, Allison has given his life to Christ and was baptized earlier this year. Denise revealed to the court that Allison is a father, and in the past three years, he’s taken care of his child.
The defense closed by saying in part, “when you sentence Caysen to prison… It will be a death sentence, because unfortunately threats have been made,” and that two years is more than enough.
The state asking for the maximum sentencing closed by saying, “We have a child who killed another child in a high school,” and that “This was a terrible situation created by Mr. Allison.”
You can watch the full interview with Joe's mom, Amanda Rios, and Joe's dad, Joshua Rios, below.
You can view previous coverage of the trial here.
