BROOKSVILLE — A trial date for the murder of James Gordley will not be considered until at least October.

Arica Woodruff, 29, of Maysville, Nelson Ramos, 27 of Peebles, Ohio, and Dagoberto Ramos, 32 of Seaman,Ohio, were arrested in December and charged with the murder of 59-year-old Gordley.

On Thursday, they appeared before Circuit Court Judge Stockton Wood.

During a pretrial hearing in the Bracken County Circuit Courtroom, Commonwealth’s Attorney Kelly Clarke told Wood that he was not ready to set a court date, because he was waiting on results from Frankfort regarding DNA.

“The blood test is still pending,” he said. “The serology test takes about six to nine months and the DNA test will take about the same. There is also a cell phone that needs to be examined. That is pending send off. The blood work has already been sent off.”

Wood suggested attorneys work on gathering experts that would need to testify during a trial, while the court waits on the test results.

“There are some experts that will have to wait until we have results back, but if there are any other type of experts that need to be provided, I would suggest you do that, rather than wait,” he said.

Wood asked if a pretrial date in October, to see where the case stands, could be set.

“Due to the amount of time the tests are anticipated to take, I don’t see a need to set anything before October,” he said. “If nothing is worked out by then, anticipate setting a trial date.”

The pretrial hearing was set for Oct. 10, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.

Gordley was found dead in his mobile home in Augusta on Dec. 14, 2018, after police received a phone call from one of Gordley’s neighbors, according to Kentucky State Police Detective Isaac Waters.

Waters said a witness saw three individuals in a white van near the home on the night Gordley was murdered. Surveillance video showed the same van entering and leaving the area.

According to Waters, the investigation led him to Woodruff, who is the ex-girlfriend of Gordley, and the Ramos brothers.

Waters said Woodruff and Ramos spoke to police in Maysville on the night of their arrest.

“He advised that on Dec. 13, 2018, (Woodruff) drove his van to the victim’s residence in Augusta,” he said.“He also advised that he was the front seat passenger and his brother, Nelson Ramos, sat in the back seat behind him. He also advised that he provided Nelson Ramos with a machete, at which time Nelson Ramos entered the victim’s home.”

Woodruff, during her interview with police, said she drove the van but never entered the home, according to Waters.

A search warrant was executed on the van where blood evidence was discovered, according to Waters. The murder weapons have not yet been found.

According to Waters, Woodruff claimed the defendants went to Gordley’s house to “beat him up.”

“Initially, she said they were going to beat him up because of what happened to her previously, however she did say she knew they were talking about killing, but she didn’t believe it was going to happen,” the detective said.

Waters said more than 40 pieces of evidence were collected during the investigation, but nothing seemed to suggest Woodruff went inside the house.

Dagoberto Ramos and Woodruff are being held in the Mason County Detention Center on a $500,000 cash bond. Nelson Ramos is also in the Mason County Detention Center on a $100,000 cash bond.

Woodruff’s attorney is Eva Hager, Dagoberto Ramos’ attorney is Chris Kippley and Nelson Ramos’ attorneys are Mark Hardy and Leslie Brown. All are public defenders.

Dagoberto Ramos
https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_010419-news-ramos-1.jpgDagoberto Ramos

Arica Woodruff
https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_010419-news-woodruff-1.jpgArica Woodruff

Nelson Ramos
https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_011919-news-murdertrial-1.jpgNelson Ramos

Christy Howell-Hoots

[email protected]