Arraignment held for Marines charged with murder over car deal

VISTA — An arraignment was held October 29 for two former Camp Pendleton-based Marines charged with murder for allegedly beating and stabbing an Oceanside business owner in a dispute over a car sale.

Xavier Akeem Adams, 19, and Raphael Roshod Davis Ramey, 20, are charged in the August 23 death of 23-year-old Charles Evan Williams. If convicted, both men may face the death penalty.

Earlier this month, Oceanside police Detective Bill Weese testified during a preliminary hearing that the defendants were tracked down at a home in Fallbrook hours after the victim’s body was found at his business at 920 South Coast Highway, where he refurbished and rebuilt old cars.

Weese said Williams’ sister had driven by her brother’s business between 1 and 2 p.m. on August 23 and saw a man walking toward the victim’s silver Cadillac. That Cadillac was found at the Fallbrook residence.

After his arrest, Ramey told Weese and a partner they would find the evidence they were looking for in the trunk of the car, the detective testified.

In the trunk, officers found a pair of bloody sneakers, two knives with blood stains and bloody clothing, Weese said.

At police headquarters, Ramey – in a videotaped statement played in court – told detectives that he was upset with Williams because he had paid $12,500 for a 1970 Chevrolet Impala in June and it still wasn’t ready.

“He was lying to me every day about my car,” Ramey told the detectives.

Ramey said he went to see Williams the day of the killing and when the victim told him his car would be ready in two weeks, he “cut” him, the defendant said.

“I felt like he was trying to [expletive] me,” the defendant said.

Ramey said Williams tried to defend himself but “I was determined.”

During the struggle, both men stumbled to a bathroom, where Ramey said he stomped on the back of Williams’ head.

“I knew he was dying,” Ramey told the detectives.

The defendant said Adams was outside the office and stayed by the door during the fatal attack.

The defendant said he purchased two knives from a nearby Wal-Mart a few days earlier and gave one to Adams to hold.

Adams told detectives in a videotaped statement played in court that he and Ramey had talked about “jacking” Williams before the day of the crime.

Adams told officers he was armed outside the door and was prepared to stop the victim if he tried to get away from Ramey.

Adams also told officers he stabbed Williams a couple of times, according to Deputy District Attorney Minaz Bhayani.

Judge Joan Weber ordered Ramey to stand trial on murder and special circumstances of lying in wait, carjacking, robbery and torture.

Adams was ordered to stand trial on all those charges except torture.