Ramey family struggles to learn any information on how Brendon Ramey, 24, died just a day after his release from Goose Creek Correctional Center.
KDLG: Apparently just a day after being released from state custody, a Dillingham man turned up dead in Palmer.
Brendon Ramey, 24, left the Goose Creek Correctional Center this week, and his family believes was reported dead the morning after at an area home. His father, Kevin Francis Ramey in Togiak, said Thursday evening he had few details from the Palmer Police Department.
“They’re investigating it, and they won’t say much about the things they see," he said Thursday evening. "I just know that he went to some people he knew’s house in Palmer, and they found him yesterday [Wednesday] morning in Palmer. And it’s really hard to say right now what the circumstances were.”
The state medical examiner office confirmed Thursday that Ramey was deceased. On Friday, Commander Dwayne Shelton also confirmed the death within their jurisdiction, and said that Ramey was the only person dead at the scene. Beyond that, he could provide no other details and said the investigation might take a week or more to conclude.
Ramey was serving time after running into trouble for burglaries and theft on two occasions in Dillingham in 2013. Reaching a deal with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to counts of criminal mischief, and asked for a “flat time” sentence. A flat sentence usually involves more jail time, but has no supervised release conditions afterward.
His dad said he thought Ramey was planning to come home, get work for the summer, and get his life back on track.
“Yeah that was his plan. And he wanted to flat time and not be burdened with probation, you know, oversight," said Kevin Ramey. "The last letter I got from him, he said he would be out in May, and he’d see me then. My last letter, I was looking forward to him coming out and spending some time."
Ramey admits his relationship with his son had been strained, but said he had been disappointed to not be able to stay in better communication with him while he was at Goose Creek. He was also disappointed that the state could not ensure a safe transition back to the home-of-record.
Family were traveling into Bristol Bay for a funeral, still with few if any details as to how Brendon died. Ramey lamented his son did not find better opportunities to turn his hand to in his short life.
"You know these poor kids, this day in age, they really don't have much of a future here in the villages. And that's why he was having problems over there [in Dillingham], with nothing to do. So I think, look at things we can do to give the youth a future is the most important thing."
Reach the author at dave@kdlg.org or 907.842.5281.