Trial set for 2013 Merced County homicide case

A September jury trial is scheduled for a Chowchilla woman charged with killing a man nearly three years ago.

Olivia Florenza Ramos, 27, has pleaded not guilty to murder in connection with the Sept. 9, 2013, death of Ernesto Estrada Perez.

If convicted, Florenza Ramos faces a potential prison sentence of 40 years to life, according to the Merced County District Attorney’s Office.

Estrada Perez, 30, was shot nearly a dozen times and left in an orchard near Buchanan Hollow and South Minturn roads in Le Grand, according to reports filed by Merced County Sheriff’s Office detectives.

Estrada Perez drove Florenza Ramos to the orchard that night. The pair had some type of argument inside his truck before the shooting started, according to reports.

A sheriff’s detective in 2014 testified at a preliminary hearing that Florenza Ramos, during interviews with investigators, allegedly admitted to shooting Estrada Perez. Deputies, in their reports, also said Florenza Ramos changed her story several times during the early days of the investigation.

At the 2014 preliminary hearing, a defense attorney, who no longer is assigned to the case, suggested Florenza Ramos’ boyfriend may have been involved in the slaying and that she was trying to “take the fall” for him. The boyfriend has not been charged with any crime in connection with the case.

Florenza Ramos briefly appeared in court Monday before Judge John D. Kirihara. A jury trial is set for Sept. 27.

She is scheduled to appear in court again Sept. 20 for another pretrial hearing, according to her attorney, Tom Pfeiff.

Florenza Ramos remains in custody at the John Latorraca Correctional Facility on more than $1 million bail.

This story was originally published August 22, 2016 at 2:33 PM with the headline "Trial set for 2013 Merced County homicide case."