2 Men On Trial In Stockton Bank Robbery, Shootout Plead Guilty
Follow CBS13 on Facebook | Twitter
STOCKTON (CBS13) – Two men on trial in the deadly Bank of the West robbery have pleaded guilty.
Jaime Ramos and Pablo Ruvalcaba pleaded guilty to murder in court Friday morning. Ramos was charged with using a hostage, Misty Holt-Singh, as a human shield. Ruvalcaba was charged with being the getaway driver.
Ramos was facing the death penalty. With Friday's guilty plea, he is now expected to get life in prison without parole. For his part, Ruvalcaba will serve 25 years to life in prison.
RELATED: Family Of Slain Stockton Bank Hostage Files Lawsuit Against City Of Stockton, Police
Holt-Singh was killed in the July 2014 shootout the suspects had with police after they robbed the bank.
"The loss of Mrs. Singh remains in our hearts; so too does her courage to do everything she could to protect her loved one," said District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar in a statement.
Two other suspects were killed in the shootout. Two other women who were taken hostage were hurt but recovered.
Misty's husband Paul Singh released this statement following the guilty pleas:
"I appreciate all the hard work done by the district attorney's office, I also appreciate all the support from the community given to myself and my family, the void that was left in our families will never be filled but we will continue Misty's memory and legacy and we know that god has an amazing angel."
Ramos and Ruvalcaba are scheduled to be sentenced in early January.