1
00:00:13,083 --> 00:00:17,323
[man] I do feel that, uh…
pretty much anybody could be a stalker…
2
00:00:19,043 --> 00:00:20,643
given the right circumstances.
3
00:00:23,843 --> 00:00:26,683
When I look back at what occurred,
that's not who I am.
4
00:00:38,203 --> 00:00:40,443
I felt like I was, like. in a dream state.
5
00:00:41,203 --> 00:00:43,003
Kind of like a sleepwalker.
6
00:00:44,043 --> 00:00:45,723
I wanted to be part of something.
7
00:00:46,843 --> 00:00:48,523
I lost it and I lost control.
8
00:00:49,683 --> 00:00:54,003
It caused me to act out my anger
and my fantasies.
9
00:01:17,803 --> 00:01:21,363
[woman] Wherever I would go, he was just,
like, constantly following me.
10
00:01:24,123 --> 00:01:27,643
He says that he was gonna attack
somebody I really loved.
11
00:01:30,163 --> 00:01:35,043
Anyone that did this kind of harm
is really a psychopath.
12
00:01:46,203 --> 00:01:48,803
[man 1] I'd rather be considered
a murderer than a stalker,
13
00:01:48,883 --> 00:01:50,163
you know what I mean?
14
00:01:52,003 --> 00:01:53,443
[woman screams]
15
00:01:53,963 --> 00:01:59,403
[woman 1] I wanted the intensity
of, like… of her feeling watched.
16
00:02:01,163 --> 00:02:02,803
[man 2] Anybody could be a stalker.
17
00:02:04,283 --> 00:02:06,003
[man 3] It's all boogeyman talk.
18
00:02:07,763 --> 00:02:09,723
[man 4] I'm not still that crazy. Like--
[chuckles]
19
00:02:37,763 --> 00:02:41,603
[woman] I haven't come across
a case quite like this before.
20
00:02:44,803 --> 00:02:47,403
It was a very scary stalking case.
21
00:02:49,443 --> 00:02:53,403
If you take the little incidences
that make stalking,
22
00:02:53,483 --> 00:02:57,603
they don't seem dangerous
or even criminal.
23
00:02:57,683 --> 00:03:00,003
But put together and compounded,
24
00:03:00,523 --> 00:03:03,163
it creates fear in somebody,
25
00:03:03,243 --> 00:03:06,403
and unfortunately,
a lot of times,
26
00:03:06,483 --> 00:03:09,443
it can culminate
into something that's very violent.
27
00:03:43,963 --> 00:03:48,323
Um… My name is Ruben Antonio Jaramillo.
28
00:03:57,083 --> 00:04:03,163
Oh, okay. Uh, I guess I was accused
of, uh, stalking my ex--
29
00:04:03,243 --> 00:04:06,203
I guess, ex-girlfriend at the time,
or girlfriend at the time.
30
00:04:09,323 --> 00:04:11,683
It was, like, so chaotic
at that moment in time.
31
00:04:13,603 --> 00:04:16,163
I had a lot of confusion in my life,
a lot of cloud.
32
00:04:17,283 --> 00:04:21,363
That was my downfall,
uh… to this whole scenario.
33
00:04:32,123 --> 00:04:34,123
[birdsong]
34
00:04:38,123 --> 00:04:41,363
My upbringing, it was very sporadic,
I guess.
35
00:04:43,003 --> 00:04:46,123
We moved around from--
around the country, from state to state.
36
00:04:47,163 --> 00:04:50,843
My dad would briefly show up
once in a while
37
00:04:50,923 --> 00:04:52,963
whenever he actually found my mom,
38
00:04:53,043 --> 00:04:57,723
and, uh…
I never planted any roots anyplace.
39
00:04:57,803 --> 00:05:00,963
We were always-- More like a vagabond.
40
00:05:03,003 --> 00:05:06,563
Never had any friends or anybody to…
you know, things like that.
41
00:05:06,643 --> 00:05:10,763
Each town and city that I, uh…
I moved to, I was always bullied,
42
00:05:10,843 --> 00:05:14,443
so that played a big part, because that--
43
00:05:14,523 --> 00:05:18,683
Being, uh… being bullied like that
made me, uh… more secluded to myself.
44
00:05:24,603 --> 00:05:27,843
My fantasy was to have a wife,
and children, and house,
45
00:05:27,923 --> 00:05:29,043
and provide for them.
46
00:05:29,123 --> 00:05:31,883
That's, uh… that's always been my dream.
47
00:05:33,203 --> 00:05:37,403
I've dated here and there,
but most of the times, I guess, uh…
48
00:05:37,923 --> 00:05:40,723
I was-- I would date the girl,
but the girl would, you know,
49
00:05:40,803 --> 00:05:44,323
end up going off with a friend of mine,
50
00:05:44,403 --> 00:05:46,683
or one of my siblings,
or something like that.
51
00:05:47,203 --> 00:05:53,363
So I've always had, uh…
trust issues with girls because of that.
52
00:06:12,323 --> 00:06:14,243
When I was working in a nursing home,
53
00:06:14,763 --> 00:06:17,523
all these other girls at the nursing home
were after me.
54
00:06:17,603 --> 00:06:20,203
They were, like, trying to come after me,
trying to date me.
55
00:06:20,283 --> 00:06:23,963
And I was, like… kind of, like,
too timid to, uh…
56
00:06:24,043 --> 00:06:25,163
who I would like--
57
00:06:25,243 --> 00:06:26,603
Uh, kinda-- How do you say?
58
00:06:26,683 --> 00:06:28,523
Pick which girl I wanted to be with.
59
00:06:38,923 --> 00:06:42,323
She came over to me and started,
I guess, pushing herself onto me.
60
00:06:43,043 --> 00:06:46,643
I wasn't really interested,
because most of the girls I used to date
61
00:06:46,723 --> 00:06:51,043
were between 18 to 24,
no older than 24.
62
00:06:51,603 --> 00:06:54,843
But at that point in time,
I felt alone, you know.
63
00:06:54,923 --> 00:06:58,723
I just, uh… had nobody, really,
to communicate with, you know?
64
00:06:59,243 --> 00:07:04,803
But when Maria came into that picture,
I could tell her my problems.
65
00:07:06,403 --> 00:07:09,363
We were talking, and before you know it,
one thing led to another,
66
00:07:09,443 --> 00:07:11,403
we started, uh, making out, and…
67
00:07:11,483 --> 00:07:14,363
From there, it just started, uh…
We just started dating.
68
00:07:43,003 --> 00:07:47,323
[woman] At the time I met Ruben,
I was in a relationship.
69
00:07:50,203 --> 00:07:52,963
It was 18 years that I was married,
70
00:07:53,763 --> 00:07:57,563
and, um… it was a rough marriage.
71
00:08:00,003 --> 00:08:02,483
When Ruben came aboard,
72
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it was like someone to lean on,
73
00:08:07,723 --> 00:08:10,883
or be comfortable to talk to.
74
00:08:27,483 --> 00:08:32,243
It all started when I was employed
at a nursing home,
75
00:08:33,603 --> 00:08:35,403
and he got hired.
76
00:08:36,043 --> 00:08:39,443
And he was comfortable to talk to.
77
00:08:41,243 --> 00:08:46,003
He was very nice, and, um…
soft, and sweet.
78
00:08:47,203 --> 00:08:52,123
I was, like, in love,
and, uh… I would say, in lust.
79
00:08:52,803 --> 00:08:54,243
He was young.
80
00:08:54,323 --> 00:08:58,163
I was, um… probably, like, 18 years older.
81
00:09:00,203 --> 00:09:02,563
As months went by,
82
00:09:03,083 --> 00:09:07,683
I decided to leave my husband,
and I moved in with Ruben.
83
00:09:21,203 --> 00:09:24,963
From there, it went on really nice,
you know?
84
00:09:25,843 --> 00:09:29,523
He loved going out and getting me
gifts and stuff,
85
00:09:29,603 --> 00:09:33,243
and, uh… it never crossed my mind
86
00:09:33,323 --> 00:09:35,803
that he would do something like this,
you know?
87
00:09:39,803 --> 00:09:41,803
[insects chirping]
88
00:09:44,163 --> 00:09:45,923
[Jaramillo] One day,
she showed up at my door.
89
00:09:46,003 --> 00:09:48,163
She was standing there,
and she said, "Look."
90
00:09:48,243 --> 00:09:51,763
"I got some divorce papers.
I got-- I divorced my husband."
91
00:09:52,283 --> 00:09:55,803
And I'm like, "Uh… why'd you do that?"
She goes, "'Cause I want to be with you."
92
00:09:55,883 --> 00:09:57,563
And I was like, "Okay."
93
00:09:57,643 --> 00:10:00,163
I mean, I liked her and everything,
and I figured, well,
94
00:10:00,283 --> 00:10:03,483
we could have a relationship and see
how it blooms from that point.
95
00:10:05,123 --> 00:10:07,803
It was something
that I was kind of looking for,
96
00:10:07,883 --> 00:10:11,003
'cause she had family,
and I didn't have that growing up.
97
00:10:12,803 --> 00:10:15,883
But when I first met her family,
they were kind of hostile.
98
00:10:17,243 --> 00:10:19,163
That's when it kind of turned.
99
00:10:20,403 --> 00:10:23,963
Her parents were like,
telling me that I was too young for her
100
00:10:24,043 --> 00:10:26,243
and I need to find somebody my own age,
101
00:10:26,323 --> 00:10:28,723
and that's when I knew
that something was up.
102
00:10:33,923 --> 00:10:35,923
[birdsong]
103
00:10:51,243 --> 00:10:58,003
My first impression of Ruben
was that he was quiet, uh… shy.
104
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She thought she was in love with him.
105
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She's young at heart herself.
106
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I guess she thought it was a match
made in heaven.
107
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But I didn't like the relationship.
108
00:11:27,203 --> 00:11:30,363
My family thought that he was creepy.
109
00:11:30,443 --> 00:11:32,603
They didn't like him,
110
00:11:32,683 --> 00:11:35,843
especially the age difference
between him and my mom.
111
00:11:40,523 --> 00:11:44,323
In my eyes, I saw their relationship
112
00:11:44,403 --> 00:11:48,563
as a boyfriend-slash-son relationship.
113
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She was always tending to him,
like you do a child.
114
00:11:55,923 --> 00:12:02,163
She couldn't even just, like, come visit
our family, like, without him.
115
00:12:02,243 --> 00:12:05,883
He had to follow along,
like a little kid, I guess. [chuckles]
116
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He always had to be, like,
part of everything,
117
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saying some crazy things.
118
00:12:18,123 --> 00:12:23,003
In 2001, when I found out
that I was pregnant with my first child,
119
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he told my mom that he wanted
120
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to raise my daughter with her.
121
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Which is crazy.
122
00:12:34,723 --> 00:12:37,043
I was thinking, "Are you kidding me?"
123
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"I live with my boyfriend,
why wouldn't we want our child?"
124
00:12:42,043 --> 00:12:48,083
And this is just one of the-- the ways
that would show how he was delusional.
125
00:12:50,923 --> 00:12:54,163
I know that Ruben had given her
lots of attention,
126
00:12:54,243 --> 00:12:57,003
and I think that's what she was craving…
127
00:12:58,643 --> 00:13:02,043
until she finally had come
to the conclusion
128
00:13:02,123 --> 00:13:04,843
that he was cheating on her.
129
00:13:22,923 --> 00:13:27,123
[Maria] For about four years, you know,
the relationship was great.
130
00:13:28,443 --> 00:13:33,683
But when I was at work,
and I'd come home to the apartment,
131
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I would see females' belongings.
132
00:13:37,963 --> 00:13:39,803
And I'd say, "Well, who was here?"
133
00:13:39,883 --> 00:13:43,043
He goes, "Oh, my female friends."
You know?
134
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I did suspect he was cheating on me.
135
00:13:49,803 --> 00:13:52,723
That just kept on going and going.
136
00:13:54,643 --> 00:13:56,803
And so, I was hurt.
137
00:13:57,963 --> 00:14:00,123
And, uh… he denied,
138
00:14:00,203 --> 00:14:05,763
but that's when I started, like,
feeling, "This is not gonna work out."
139
00:14:23,483 --> 00:14:27,483
I told Ruben that I was gonna leave,
and he says, "Why?" you know?
140
00:14:27,563 --> 00:14:29,563
He says, "I love you," and stuff.
141
00:14:31,683 --> 00:14:34,643
That's when Ruben was begging me
and begging me, you know,
142
00:14:34,723 --> 00:14:36,163
"Don't go, don't go."
143
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I think that's why I called my daughter
and my sister.
144
00:14:42,523 --> 00:14:45,643
I felt maybe something
was gonna go wrong.
145
00:14:56,403 --> 00:14:58,443
[Veronica] When my mom said
she wanted to leave,
146
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I felt so relieved and so happy to go,
147
00:15:03,763 --> 00:15:07,123
"Let's go," you know, "get your things
and get you out of here."
148
00:15:07,643 --> 00:15:11,323
Not knowing, like, what could happen.
[laughs ruefully]
149
00:15:16,803 --> 00:15:21,843
Me and my aunt went to my mom and Ruben's
apartment to go gather her things.
150
00:15:22,963 --> 00:15:26,323
So, we walk into the bedroom,
151
00:15:26,403 --> 00:15:32,603
and he's there on the bed,
and he was holding a knife.
152
00:15:34,523 --> 00:15:36,203
We look around the room,
153
00:15:36,283 --> 00:15:43,003
and on the three walls was the word,
"Die, die, die."
154
00:15:43,803 --> 00:15:47,763
"Die" on one wall, "die" on the other wall
and "die" on the other wall,
155
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in his blood.
156
00:15:54,003 --> 00:15:58,563
And my mom, she didn't want us
to call the police.
157
00:15:58,643 --> 00:16:01,563
She said, "Let's just go
and just leave him alone."
158
00:16:09,923 --> 00:16:13,483
[Jaramillo] I wanted to die right there
and then. I felt my heart pounding.
159
00:16:14,003 --> 00:16:18,323
I wanted to cry, uh…
because I had put my hope on her.
160
00:16:18,883 --> 00:16:22,203
I kept trying to, uh… get in contact
with her and everything else,
161
00:16:22,283 --> 00:16:25,923
because all that-- all that emotion
came flooding back.
162
00:16:26,003 --> 00:16:28,283
Technically, I did cheat on her.
163
00:16:29,003 --> 00:16:32,163
But I wanted to contact her
and I wanted to, like, see,
164
00:16:32,243 --> 00:16:35,643
"What can we do to resolve this, uh…
this conflict of emotion?"
165
00:16:35,723 --> 00:16:37,283
and things like that.
166
00:16:37,363 --> 00:16:43,803
So, uh… I'm not real, uh… keen
on-- on subtle hints or things like that.
167
00:16:43,883 --> 00:16:46,403
You know, I'm more a person that needs--
168
00:16:46,483 --> 00:16:48,803
If you want something,
you have to say it bluntly
169
00:16:48,883 --> 00:16:50,243
in order for me to understand,
170
00:16:50,323 --> 00:16:53,163
because I don't grasp, like,
hints or things like that.
171
00:17:04,723 --> 00:17:09,203
The way I used to try to contact her
was writing her letters.
172
00:17:10,403 --> 00:17:12,843
That occurred over a period of time.
173
00:17:13,803 --> 00:17:16,963
Every time I asked a question,
it would-- it would go unanswered.
174
00:17:17,043 --> 00:17:20,763
And so I had to-- I had to try
to get-- to communicate with her,
175
00:17:20,843 --> 00:17:24,683
to get in contact with her to try to get
those answers, but I couldn't.
176
00:17:24,763 --> 00:17:27,083
It's like, the more I tried
to communicate with her,
177
00:17:27,163 --> 00:17:29,763
the more I failed, the more I was like--
I was like, "Man, I'm--"
178
00:17:29,843 --> 00:17:33,843
I kept coming up with more, uh… questions,
but without answers.
179
00:17:48,083 --> 00:17:50,083
[birdsong]
180
00:17:52,003 --> 00:17:56,123
[Maria] I had stacks and stacks
of letters, you know,
181
00:17:56,203 --> 00:17:58,763
that he would leave on my car.
182
00:18:01,403 --> 00:18:05,683
The letters would say
that he wanted to talk things over,
183
00:18:05,763 --> 00:18:07,883
and that he really loved me,
184
00:18:08,963 --> 00:18:11,523
and he's not going to hurt me,
185
00:18:12,083 --> 00:18:14,683
and he just wants us to get back together.
186
00:18:16,763 --> 00:18:20,443
At that point,
all this really got me worried.
187
00:18:35,723 --> 00:18:38,803
[woman] Stalking is considered
to be a serious crime
188
00:18:38,883 --> 00:18:42,643
involving repeated and persistent
behavior that threatens,
189
00:18:42,723 --> 00:18:45,923
harasses and creates fear in our victims
190
00:18:47,083 --> 00:18:48,923
and can turn into violence.
191
00:18:53,283 --> 00:18:55,243
My name is Dr. Hae Rim Jin,
192
00:18:55,323 --> 00:18:59,243
and my research specialization
is in intimate partner violence.
193
00:19:00,843 --> 00:19:01,803
In my line of work,
194
00:19:01,883 --> 00:19:05,803
I have studied a large number of cases
focusing on stalking.
195
00:19:08,923 --> 00:19:12,683
These are letters that Mr. Jaramillo
wrote to Maria.
196
00:19:14,283 --> 00:19:17,403
These letters are records
of his stalking behavior.
197
00:19:18,403 --> 00:19:21,843
In my opinion,
his case is very, very dangerous.
198
00:19:23,443 --> 00:19:27,723
His letters gave me a lot of insight
to his mindset.
199
00:19:27,803 --> 00:19:31,363
One particular
is that he consistently says,
200
00:19:31,443 --> 00:19:34,803
"I love you, I love you, I love you.
Why don't you get that I love you?"
201
00:19:34,883 --> 00:19:38,083
And she gets it, but she doesn't want it.
202
00:19:40,323 --> 00:19:44,283
This individual fits the profile
of rejected stalker,
203
00:19:44,363 --> 00:19:48,043
because his sole motivation
behind stalking Maria
204
00:19:48,123 --> 00:19:52,803
is that he can no longer accept
that she has left him.
205
00:19:54,883 --> 00:19:59,043
Mr. Jaramillo also says quite often
that he is ready to die for her,
206
00:19:59,763 --> 00:20:02,363
so that reiterates that feeling of,
207
00:20:02,443 --> 00:20:04,803
he really truly believes
he has nothing left to lose.
208
00:20:04,883 --> 00:20:07,723
It's her or nothing, even his life.
209
00:20:10,123 --> 00:20:14,123
The likelihood of that case turning into
a dangerous one is relatively high.
210
00:20:15,883 --> 00:20:18,163
This particular letter is a red flag.
211
00:20:18,923 --> 00:20:22,483
He says, "If we're not together,
then that gives me the right
212
00:20:22,563 --> 00:20:24,803
to go after your family
for breaking us up."
213
00:20:25,403 --> 00:20:28,803
"But if we're still together, then I have
no right to go after them, right?"
214
00:20:31,323 --> 00:20:34,563
First, he's blaming her family
for breaking them up.
215
00:20:34,643 --> 00:20:36,643
He's implying to her that,
216
00:20:37,443 --> 00:20:41,043
"I know your parents were
one of the reasons why we broke up,
217
00:20:41,123 --> 00:20:45,683
and I have every means to hurt them,
especially if you don't come back to me."
218
00:20:48,123 --> 00:20:53,483
His letters are demonstrating
that the violence truly was inevitable.
219
00:20:53,563 --> 00:20:57,323
It was going to happen,
because he just could not let her go.
220
00:21:17,403 --> 00:21:21,323
[Maria] Ruben was stalking me at my jobs.
221
00:21:25,443 --> 00:21:28,443
He would be parked, like, at the corner,
222
00:21:28,523 --> 00:21:33,643
and so I would spot him
and I would get off and start running.
223
00:21:35,403 --> 00:21:37,123
He was not giving up.
224
00:21:37,203 --> 00:21:40,043
He said in letters, "Not gonna give up."
225
00:21:42,763 --> 00:21:46,403
But by that time, I was, like,
really, really frightened.
226
00:21:47,403 --> 00:21:51,163
Wherever I would go, uh… he was just,
like, constantly following me.
227
00:21:51,243 --> 00:21:55,523
He knew where my parents lived
and where my daughter lived.
228
00:22:08,563 --> 00:22:12,923
[Veronica] This was the beginning
of a… a time to watch our backs.
229
00:22:14,963 --> 00:22:18,803
He started delivering letters
to my apartment,
230
00:22:19,483 --> 00:22:21,083
taping them to the door.
231
00:22:21,163 --> 00:22:25,763
And then one of the letters said
that if I don't give my mom the letters,
232
00:22:26,683 --> 00:22:32,323
he was gonna put naked pictures of her
around my apartment complex.
233
00:22:33,323 --> 00:22:34,523
And he did.
234
00:22:39,923 --> 00:22:43,043
I actually didn't know
what was gonna come next.
235
00:22:44,243 --> 00:22:47,643
I moved from my apartment
to a different apartment.
236
00:22:50,403 --> 00:22:52,243
I wanted to hide.
237
00:22:53,243 --> 00:22:57,123
I didn't want him to, like,
know where I lived anymore,
238
00:22:57,203 --> 00:23:01,003
because he threatened to kill me
if she didn't go with him.
239
00:23:14,043 --> 00:23:18,643
He was stalking multiple members
of our family.
240
00:23:19,763 --> 00:23:22,963
Lurking around in different places,
you know?
241
00:23:27,603 --> 00:23:32,323
He was at the front door of my brother
and his girlfriend's apartment,
242
00:23:32,403 --> 00:23:34,483
and she was terrified.
243
00:23:40,483 --> 00:23:45,083
He was driving by
the other family members' houses.
244
00:23:45,803 --> 00:23:50,923
My cousin's house, my brother's apartment,
my grandparents', me.
245
00:23:51,003 --> 00:23:55,723
Now everybody had a piece
of being stalked.
246
00:23:56,923 --> 00:24:00,763
My mom was getting lots of anger
towards her.
247
00:24:01,363 --> 00:24:05,683
"You brought this crazy into our family,
and now he knows where we all live."
248
00:24:07,203 --> 00:24:10,203
I don't think she knew
what was gonna happen next,
249
00:24:10,283 --> 00:24:14,363
and I think she thinks
he was just gonna, like, fade away.
250
00:24:38,603 --> 00:24:42,323
I was already determined to leave her
and her family and everything behind,
251
00:24:42,403 --> 00:24:43,603
because I already had it.
252
00:24:43,683 --> 00:24:45,563
I had enough with it and everything else.
253
00:24:48,803 --> 00:24:50,883
I was walkin' towards her parents' house.
254
00:24:52,003 --> 00:24:55,043
I was gonna tell them, like,
to piss off or something like that.
255
00:24:55,123 --> 00:24:58,643
I was gonna tell her parents that--
to tell her not to contact me at all,
256
00:24:58,723 --> 00:25:01,923
not to do anything with me, 'cause
I didn't want no part of her or anything.
257
00:25:08,563 --> 00:25:11,683
I'mma give her one last gift, you know,
because in the scripture it says,
258
00:25:11,763 --> 00:25:15,763
you know, uh… if people hate you,
uh… bless 'em or love 'em, you know.
259
00:25:15,843 --> 00:25:18,283
So I thought, "Okay,"
so I went into this Chinese store,
260
00:25:18,363 --> 00:25:20,843
bought some, uh, toy handcuffs
for her grandkids.
261
00:25:21,363 --> 00:25:26,443
And, uh… Oh, I--
And, uh, I-- I had this, uh… toy stun gun.
262
00:25:37,843 --> 00:25:40,243
And I started praying,
and I was-- I was, like--
263
00:25:40,803 --> 00:25:46,203
I was like, um… you know,
"Lord, I want you to please stop me."
264
00:25:46,283 --> 00:25:47,363
You know…
265
00:25:47,443 --> 00:25:51,363
Uh… "Stop me from going to the house
and then confronting the parents,
266
00:25:51,443 --> 00:25:54,243
because I-- I feel that
I'm gonna do something crazy."
267
00:26:19,523 --> 00:26:23,203
[Angulo] What happened
on September 26th of 2005
268
00:26:23,923 --> 00:26:28,603
is the end result of Ruben's journey
of stalking.
269
00:26:35,803 --> 00:26:40,643
Right now, we're looking at the driveway
270
00:26:40,723 --> 00:26:44,883
where Ruben accosted Maria's father.
271
00:26:47,723 --> 00:26:50,843
He actually brought three sets
of handcuffs.
272
00:26:51,443 --> 00:26:52,843
He brought duct tape.
273
00:26:54,803 --> 00:27:00,083
So they are filming right now the stun gun
or the Taser that he left behind.
274
00:27:01,003 --> 00:27:04,523
All signs of something very violent
that occurred.
275
00:27:13,963 --> 00:27:16,483
[Jaramillo] I went to the house.
I rung the doorbell.
276
00:27:16,563 --> 00:27:20,643
Her dad came around the corner,
and I startled him, he startled me.
277
00:27:20,723 --> 00:27:24,203
And he came at me
like-- like-- you know, like, to fall.
278
00:27:24,283 --> 00:27:26,243
And I thought he was trying to attack me,
279
00:27:26,323 --> 00:27:29,403
so I pulled out the toy stun gun,
and then I pushed him down.
280
00:27:29,483 --> 00:27:33,043
I looked down and I saw him on the ground,
and I saw he was grabbing his heart.
281
00:27:33,123 --> 00:27:35,443
That's when I realized
he was having a heart attack.
282
00:27:37,363 --> 00:27:39,603
I was trying to pick him up,
but he was too heavy for me.
283
00:27:39,683 --> 00:27:43,883
And so the mom came out
around the corner, and so she screamed,
284
00:27:43,963 --> 00:27:47,523
so I dropped him and I went over
to tell her, "I'm not here to hurt you."
285
00:27:47,603 --> 00:27:50,163
And I tried to calm her down,
and she wouldn't calm down.
286
00:27:50,243 --> 00:27:52,403
So I grab the toy stun gun
and I stun her.
287
00:27:54,083 --> 00:27:56,083
So, uh… I picked her up.
288
00:27:56,163 --> 00:27:59,563
And I remember I had the toy stun gun,
so-- I mean, the toy handcuffs.
289
00:27:59,643 --> 00:28:01,963
So I grabbed one of the toy handcuffs
and I put 'em on--
290
00:28:02,043 --> 00:28:03,723
uh, put the toy handcuffs on her.
291
00:28:03,803 --> 00:28:06,203
I walked her to the restroom
and I sat her down.
292
00:28:09,923 --> 00:28:12,163
[Angulo] He handcuffed both of them.
293
00:28:12,243 --> 00:28:15,163
With the mother,
he took her into the house
294
00:28:15,243 --> 00:28:18,963
and he went back out
to deal with Maria's father,
295
00:28:19,523 --> 00:28:22,163
and Maria's mother was able to escape,
296
00:28:22,243 --> 00:28:25,163
run across the street
and get help from a neighbor.
297
00:28:25,803 --> 00:28:30,723
And they called 911, and the police came
and responded fairly quickly.
298
00:28:32,483 --> 00:28:36,563
He was interrupted,
and so he got in their van and he fled.
299
00:28:41,163 --> 00:28:43,883
[Jaramillo] I had no intention
of hurting anybody, because that's not--
300
00:28:43,963 --> 00:28:45,763
I hate people hurting other people.
301
00:28:47,123 --> 00:28:51,403
And when I look back, what-- what--
what occurred, that's not who I was.
302
00:28:51,483 --> 00:28:53,043
I mean-- I mean, that's not who I am.
303
00:28:58,803 --> 00:29:03,643
So, Ruben says that he had no intention
of hurting anyone,
304
00:29:03,723 --> 00:29:05,923
because he hates people that hurt people.
305
00:29:06,003 --> 00:29:08,723
Ruben's not only trying
to minimize his culpability,
306
00:29:08,803 --> 00:29:10,443
he's trying to change the narrative.
307
00:29:10,523 --> 00:29:12,403
His delusions are…
308
00:29:13,563 --> 00:29:15,043
quite intact.
309
00:29:16,923 --> 00:29:18,803
The Taser definitely was not a toy.
310
00:29:18,883 --> 00:29:21,443
It caused such a heart attack
311
00:29:21,523 --> 00:29:24,803
that Maria's father had to have
quadruple bypass surgery,
312
00:29:24,883 --> 00:29:27,203
and, um, to me, this confirms it.
313
00:29:27,283 --> 00:29:29,643
He is not willing to accept responsibility
314
00:29:29,723 --> 00:29:32,083
for the damage that he caused
to this family.
315
00:29:46,003 --> 00:29:49,123
-[Maria] There was ambulance and police.
-[siren wailing]
316
00:29:49,203 --> 00:29:53,963
My sister was yelling at me,
"Your ex-boyfriend attacked Mom and Dad!"
317
00:29:54,043 --> 00:29:56,043
And that's when I, like--
318
00:29:56,123 --> 00:30:01,283
God, I just felt so bad and at fault,
319
00:30:01,363 --> 00:30:05,083
because he did this
because I wouldn't go back to him.
320
00:30:06,283 --> 00:30:08,723
I just felt so ashamed.
321
00:30:25,003 --> 00:30:28,963
[Veronica] It was the scariest thing,
to not know where he could be.
322
00:30:31,083 --> 00:30:35,243
I gave the daycare a picture of him,
323
00:30:35,323 --> 00:30:37,283
because my daughter was in daycare,
324
00:30:37,363 --> 00:30:39,643
and I let them know the situation.
325
00:30:40,603 --> 00:30:44,243
I was afraid that he was gonna find me
and my daughter.
326
00:30:44,963 --> 00:30:48,483
I didn't know if he was gonna kill me
to try to get to my daughter.
327
00:30:49,443 --> 00:30:51,203
I didn't know what he was gonna do.
328
00:30:51,283 --> 00:30:53,163
It's the fear of the unknown.
329
00:30:53,643 --> 00:30:55,723
We didn't know where he could pop up.
330
00:31:00,603 --> 00:31:04,923
One of the nights that he was on the run,
I went to my best friend's house,
331
00:31:05,723 --> 00:31:10,923
and I had a major panic attack.
332
00:31:11,723 --> 00:31:14,683
I thought I was dying. I-- I did.
333
00:31:14,763 --> 00:31:17,363
I thought I was-- I thought I was dying.
334
00:32:08,403 --> 00:32:12,883
[Angulo] I decided to try only
the aggravated robbery,
335
00:32:12,963 --> 00:32:16,883
because stalking is more difficult,
in the sense that you have to prove
336
00:32:16,963 --> 00:32:19,323
beyond a reasonable doubt
all of the elements.
337
00:32:20,203 --> 00:32:23,963
So you have to prove many tiny moments
338
00:32:24,043 --> 00:32:26,283
instead of just one big moment.
339
00:32:39,683 --> 00:32:43,083
Aggravated robberies are typically
a first-degree felony,
340
00:32:43,163 --> 00:32:45,483
so just like murders,
it carries a punishment range
341
00:32:45,563 --> 00:32:49,243
from five years up to 99 years,
or life in prison.
342
00:32:49,323 --> 00:32:52,323
It-- it was a very strong case
that we took to trial
343
00:32:52,403 --> 00:32:54,163
for the aggravated robbery.
344
00:33:03,523 --> 00:33:08,963
This case was odd in that Ruben left us
all the evidence of his intention
345
00:33:09,043 --> 00:33:11,003
at the scene of the crime.
346
00:33:14,203 --> 00:33:18,883
He had a bag that he left behind
when the police started to come,
347
00:33:18,963 --> 00:33:22,523
and inside of that bag, there was a note.
348
00:33:22,603 --> 00:33:27,763
And on this note, it basically laid out
what Ruben was going to do.
349
00:33:30,203 --> 00:33:35,243
Ruben writes, "Pick up cash,
pick up check and cash it."
350
00:33:35,323 --> 00:33:38,723
"Stun gun, four sets of handcuffs."
351
00:33:38,803 --> 00:33:41,563
"Locate parents. Mom and Dad only."
352
00:33:42,123 --> 00:33:43,723
"Handcuff Mom and Dad."
353
00:33:45,803 --> 00:33:48,643
"Lock the gates and head towards Mexico."
354
00:33:48,723 --> 00:33:50,763
"Drop the parents off in a ditch."
355
00:33:51,283 --> 00:33:55,883
"Head back and pick up Maria's daughter,
pick up the car with her,
356
00:33:55,963 --> 00:34:01,123
pick up Maria's daughter's daughter,
then take her in green van."
357
00:34:01,203 --> 00:34:04,403
"Look for Maria, get hold of Maria."
358
00:34:04,483 --> 00:34:07,443
"Pick up the Suburban, bring it to Mexico,
359
00:34:07,523 --> 00:34:10,883
move into house
and live in Mexico forever."
360
00:34:12,203 --> 00:34:14,443
We are talking about five people
361
00:34:14,523 --> 00:34:18,443
that Ruben planned to kidnap,
362
00:34:19,003 --> 00:34:25,163
um, and relocate,
in his desire to win Maria's heart.
363
00:34:28,123 --> 00:34:31,443
Ruben definitely suffered from delusions.
364
00:34:31,523 --> 00:34:33,723
It didn't make him incompetent.
365
00:34:33,803 --> 00:34:35,683
It didn't make him insane.
366
00:34:36,643 --> 00:34:38,243
But it made him very dangerous.
367
00:35:05,923 --> 00:35:08,163
[Angulo] They put the defendant
on the stand.
368
00:35:08,683 --> 00:35:10,763
He was really their only defense.
369
00:35:12,603 --> 00:35:16,563
He did not seem to accept
any responsibility for his conduct.
370
00:35:17,123 --> 00:35:21,683
He didn't seem to think that the nature
of his relationship with Maria
371
00:35:21,763 --> 00:35:23,723
was anything other than a love story.
372
00:35:24,243 --> 00:35:25,563
It was not a good defense.
373
00:35:25,643 --> 00:35:29,403
The evidence we had was strong,
against him,
374
00:35:29,483 --> 00:35:33,243
and I think, at the end,
that there was no question, um…
375
00:35:33,323 --> 00:35:35,683
that Ruben Jaramillo
was a dangerous individual.
376
00:35:45,523 --> 00:35:49,763
[Angulo] The aggravated robbery that
we tried was ultimately the culmination
377
00:35:49,843 --> 00:35:54,883
of all the stalking
that he committed on Maria.
378
00:35:54,963 --> 00:35:59,323
So, even though she wasn't the ultimate
victim in the case that we prosecuted,
379
00:35:59,403 --> 00:36:02,203
I think that the jury
appropriately considered
380
00:36:02,283 --> 00:36:04,163
the dangerousness of the situation.
381
00:36:05,323 --> 00:36:08,883
Maria was definitely an injured woman.
382
00:36:08,963 --> 00:36:10,163
Emotionally injured.
383
00:36:10,243 --> 00:36:13,443
She suffered a lot of abuse
at the hands of Mr. Jaramillo.
384
00:36:21,003 --> 00:36:23,923
I think it was very crucial for the jury
to hear from Maria,
385
00:36:24,003 --> 00:36:28,563
because the history of stalking
was central to this case.
386
00:36:28,643 --> 00:36:31,163
If you take Maria out of the picture,
387
00:36:31,243 --> 00:36:35,043
there's not much context
for what the defendant did.
388
00:36:36,443 --> 00:36:40,083
She explained to the jury the abuse
that she suffered from him,
389
00:36:40,163 --> 00:36:42,843
the psychological,
the emotional abuse that he used.
390
00:36:44,163 --> 00:36:47,003
And that's gonna scar an individual.
It scarred her.
391
00:36:54,643 --> 00:36:59,323
[Maria] I was on the stand,
and I did tell them about the stalking.
392
00:37:01,163 --> 00:37:06,643
I was very scared telling the judge
everything what had happened,
393
00:37:06,723 --> 00:37:09,523
and, um… I was just, like, crying.
394
00:37:10,563 --> 00:37:12,763
Just nonstop crying, um…
395
00:37:12,843 --> 00:37:17,243
I was so… so afraid,
just having him there.
396
00:38:07,003 --> 00:38:13,283
[Jaramillo] I've been in prison, uh…
16 years, almost 17 years.
397
00:38:15,603 --> 00:38:17,843
I had plenty of time to think of what--
398
00:38:17,923 --> 00:38:20,603
what was--
what was the malfunction in my thinking,
399
00:38:20,683 --> 00:38:22,283
and… and so forth.
400
00:38:22,883 --> 00:38:27,283
I do feel that, uh…
pretty much anybody could be a stalker,
401
00:38:27,363 --> 00:38:29,563
given the right set of circumstances.
402
00:38:29,643 --> 00:38:33,243
And I guess I, uh…
I lost touch with reality
403
00:38:33,323 --> 00:38:36,643
and, uh… just started fantasizing.
404
00:38:38,323 --> 00:38:40,563
I was hoping, I guess, in a way,
405
00:38:40,643 --> 00:38:45,923
to be able to get back that…
that feeling of, uh… being wanted.
406
00:38:46,003 --> 00:38:49,363
Chasing after her, uh…
would get her attention
407
00:38:49,443 --> 00:38:52,323
and she would, uh…
once again see me as a person,
408
00:38:52,403 --> 00:38:55,603
and say, "Hey, look, there's this person,
you know, who cares about me."
409
00:38:55,683 --> 00:38:57,803
And I was hoping she would see that,
you know,
410
00:38:57,883 --> 00:39:01,123
I was willing to bend over backwards
for her and do whatever she wanted.
411
00:39:05,363 --> 00:39:09,963
I do possess, uh… remorse over what I did
to Maria and-- and her family,
412
00:39:10,043 --> 00:39:12,723
because it shouldn't have occurred
in the first place.
413
00:39:12,803 --> 00:39:16,963
I should have been the bigger man
and just walked away.
414
00:39:18,043 --> 00:39:22,043
Uh, putting your, uh… your emotions
100% into a person,
415
00:39:22,123 --> 00:39:23,803
it's like playing Russian roulette.
416
00:39:23,883 --> 00:39:27,883
It's like, uh… Unless you're
with the person like 20, 30 years,
417
00:39:27,963 --> 00:39:29,123
yeah, I can understand,
418
00:39:29,203 --> 00:39:32,883
but when you meet a person like I did,
and I was with her for five years,
419
00:39:32,963 --> 00:39:36,683
uh… you know, I shouldn't have been
100% into-- into her.
420
00:39:36,763 --> 00:39:39,523
Uh, because no matter
how many times she cheated on me
421
00:39:39,603 --> 00:39:43,563
or how many times I cheated on her,
uh… I should have seen the signs.
422
00:39:43,643 --> 00:39:46,923
But there's no way to correct the past.
423
00:39:47,003 --> 00:39:50,843
It's just continuing to the future with--
and trying to correct myself,
424
00:39:50,923 --> 00:39:53,923
uh, and hoping that
this situation doesn't occur
425
00:39:54,003 --> 00:39:55,443
with somebody else, or anything else,
426
00:39:55,523 --> 00:39:58,923
and that I'm better able
to control myself mentally.
427
00:39:59,003 --> 00:40:00,563
And, uh… and…
428
00:40:01,323 --> 00:40:04,963
and see disappointments
as a… as a stepping-stone
429
00:40:05,043 --> 00:40:08,523
rather than a… than a… a tragedy.
430
00:40:37,083 --> 00:40:39,083
[birdsong]
431
00:40:45,443 --> 00:40:47,843
[Veronica] I definitely think
about him getting out,
432
00:40:47,923 --> 00:40:50,803
and I just want to, like, disappear.
433
00:40:51,723 --> 00:40:53,523
I don't want him to find me.
434
00:40:55,763 --> 00:40:59,483
I am still living
with the effects of this.
435
00:41:00,723 --> 00:41:03,843
I deal with anxiety attacks weekly.
436
00:41:05,283 --> 00:41:10,323
It makes me very, very angry
that I have to deal with this,
437
00:41:10,403 --> 00:41:12,643
my kids have to deal with this…
438
00:41:12,723 --> 00:41:17,043
my husband… has to deal with this.
439
00:41:18,003 --> 00:41:21,723
[tearfully] It's frustrating.
It's torturous.
440
00:41:25,003 --> 00:41:26,323
[sobs]
441
00:41:26,403 --> 00:41:30,683
And my grandparents deal with it, too.
442
00:41:31,963 --> 00:41:33,403
This is lifelong.
443
00:41:44,123 --> 00:41:47,923
[Maria] Everybody fears
that he's gonna get parole.
444
00:41:49,963 --> 00:41:53,443
I myself am very, very scared.
445
00:41:54,963 --> 00:42:01,323
We are writing letters to the parole
not to release him,
446
00:42:01,403 --> 00:42:05,443
because I feel that he's gonna
come and finish me off.
447
00:42:07,803 --> 00:42:11,243
He said he would hurt people that I love,
448
00:42:11,323 --> 00:42:14,403
and so we just have to live in fear.
449
00:42:17,083 --> 00:42:20,923
I believe he will continue looking for me.