NORWICH – Ganesh R. Ramsaran was obsessed with another woman, and because of that - and other circumstantial evidence that will be presented – he murdered his wife, Jennifer Ramsaran, said Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride in his opening statement Thursday.
Ramsaran is charged with second degree murder in the death of his wife. McBride said the case deals with issues of sex, divorce, money, deception, and ultimately the murder of the mother of three.
McBride told the jury that evidence will show Ramsaran killed his wife the day after getting back together with his girlfriend. Evidence suggests he killed Jennifer early in the morning Dec. 11, 2012, cleaned up, and left their home with her body in her van at approximately 11:15 a.m., said McBride.
McBride also said evidence will show Ramsaran “dropped the body unceremoniously on Center Road.”
In his approximately 30-minute statement, McBride claimed that Ramsaran was obsessed with his mistress, Eileen Sayles, who has been named a material witness in the case and expected to testify next week.
McBride additionally said in his opening that jurors will hear evidence that the defendant went up to the step-parents of Sayles and told them he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, making “no mention of Jennifer.”
“You will hear evidence that the defendant didn't look for his wife,” McBride said.
According to McBride, the medical examiner was unable to determine the cause of death due to the decomposition and damage to the body.
McBride said Ramsaran also had motive. “We will prove the case by bringing in Jennifer’s family, the defendant’s girlfriend, and Jennifer’s best friend,” said McBride, arguing that because Ramsaran had a girlfriend, circumstances of divorce, alimony, and child support would all come into play. If Jennifer died, Ramsaran could avoid those issues and gain $200,000 in life insurance proceeds, he noted. “This is what was in his mind before he killed his wife on Dec. 11.”
McBride read from an email Ramsaran sent to Sayles after they broke up for a period of time. “You know I would have done everything and anything for you, and for us to be together,” McBride read from the document. “Now ladies and gentleman, one week after he sent this, or just a little bit over a week after he sent that message, he got back together with his girlfriend, and then within 24 hours of getting back together with his girlfriend, his wife was murdered.”
Evidence will show Ramsaran contacted Sayles more than 2,000 times in 2013, McBride added.
A man in London, with whom Jennifer was conversing while playing an online game, sent money to Jennifer via Western Union, said McBride. The morning of Dec. 11, 2012, their conversation ended abruptly and without notice – a way they had never before ended their conversations, according to McBride.
McBride said the defendant told police he went for a run that morning and described the path he took from his New Berlin home to the City of Norwich. The DA said video evidence will show that Ramsaran did not run the described path and he doesn’t appear on video footage until he reached the Norwich Family YMCA.
“This is a circumstantial case, but the bottom line is the day after (Ramsaran) got back with (Sayles) — the woman he said he would do anything and everything for — Jennifer Ramsaran was killed.”
“I ask for one thing,” said Ramsaran’s counsel Gilberto Garcia during his opening remarks. “Think not with your stomachs, but think with your minds.” He reminded the jury they are the judges of the evidence and facts.
“A young woman, full of life, is no longer with us,” said Garcia. “What’s sadder is her former husband is accused of killing her.”
Garcia said McBride reiterated that evidence will show certain things. “The indictment says she was killed at a certain time and date. I will argue that the evidence does not show that ... There will be no evidence that links my client to having done anything directly. They have to go to outside forces. They will not be able to prove that she died on Dec. 11, 2012 because her body was not found until months later.”
“The police did a shoddy job,” Garcia added. “They concentrated on my client from day one. Evidence will show there were other people that should have been looked at.”
Garcia also reminded jurors (as did the judge and DA throughout the proceedings thus far), that police officers do not get better credibility from the jury because of their profession.
Garcia said that Ramsaran arrived at the YMCA at 12:44 p.m. Based on what McBride said, the evidence will show — the murder, cleanup, leaving the home at 11:30 a.m., dropping of the body, dropping of the phone, dropping off the van, and then the run to the YMCA, he, “Could not have done that. It’s an hour an 14 minutes.”
Said Garcia, “Yes, Jennifer Ramsaran died. We don’t know how. You will not hear a shred of evidence that links Mr. Ramsaran to the murder. The evidence will show the police concentrated on this man from day one and never let go.”
Garcia and McBride each thanked the jury for their time.
The first witness called was Richard Pagillo, the responding officer when Ramsaran reported Jennifer missing. “I told him only three hours passed and it’s not uncommon for people to shop longer,” Pagillo said. “He said she was a homebody.”
When questioned by Garcia regarding Ramsaran’s demeanor, the witness said, “My opinion; he was more upset than necessary. I’ve never dealt with someone upset like him.”
Witness testimony continues at 10 a.m. Friday at the Chenango County Courthouse.