(New Haven, CT) – New Haven Judicial District State’s Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr. announced today that a jury in New Haven Superior Court on July 29, 2025 found Brandon Ramos, also known as “Don L66t,” age 23, of Meriden, guilty of the crime of Manslaughter in the First Degree with a Firearm, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-55a, and Carrying a Pistol without a Permit, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 29-35(a). The Honorable Maureen M. Keegan presided over the trial.
According to the evidence introduced at trial, in the early morning of August 22, 2021, Ramos fatally shot the victim, Jyineez Cruz, age 20, of Meriden. In the course of their investigation, the Meriden Police Department learned that Ramos was hosting a birthday party at his recording studio in downtown Meriden when he engaged in an argument with Cruz in the parking lot outside. During the argument, Ramos walked to a nearby parked car to retrieve a .45 caliber handgun and returned to the location of the argument and shot Cruz three times. Cruz was pronounced dead on scene. Ramos did not have a permit to carry a pistol at the time of the incident.
An arrest warrant was secured for Ramos in September of 2021, and he was extradited from the state of Florida as a fugitive from justice in December of 2021.
The case was investigated by the Meriden Police Department and prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Seth R. Garbarsky and Assistant State’s Attorney Danielle Hottin, who were assisted by Inspector Michael Mastropetre.
State’s Attorney Doyle would like to extend his gratitude to the Meriden Police Department for their thorough investigation and Detective Tammy Murray from the West Haven Police Department for her expertise and testimony on bloodstain pattern analysis in this case.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 22, 2025 in New Haven Superior Court