NEW CASTLE (AP) — A 21-year-old Pennsylvania man charged with shooting his girlfriend because he thought she was cheating on him will stand trial.
Police say Ishemer Ramsey, of Butler County, shot 26-year-old Melissa Barto in his car in June, set her body on fire and left her remains in the woods.
A state police investigator testified during Ramsey’s preliminary hearing Tuesday that he had his friends help buy red rope, a tarp and gloves used to dispose of the body. Ramsey’s attorney calls the testimony hearsay.
The District Attorney says it is too early to say if he will seek the death penalty against Ramsey.
Two other men, 21-year-old Wane Bowser and 23-year-old James Howard-George, are also facing charges related to Barto’s death. They’ve pleaded not guilty.