The murdered girl's photo.
http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_022124807.html
Woman's Body Found Outside Wis. Church
(AP) La Crosse, Wis. The purse and credit card of a woman found dead outside a La Crosse church were recovered from the vehicle of a man arrested in Minnesota with blood on his face and hands, according to a criminal complaint.
Irvin Ramirez, 24, of Onalaska was charged in La Crosse County Circuit Court with one count of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Danielle Gorectke, 23, of Minocqua, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the complaint said.
Gorectke's partially clothed body was found at the bottom of the stairs outside Christ Covenant Church about 8 a.m. Sunday by a worker plowing the church's parking lot, authorities said. She was naked from the waist down and had "multiple contusions and lacerations to her head," the complaint said.
Ramirez had been arrested about three and a half hours earlier in La Crescent, Minn. He got into an argument with a convenience store clerk, who called police to deal with what seemed to be an intoxicated driver, the complaint said.
The responding officer noticed Ramirez had blood on his face, coat and hands. Police searched his vehicle and found a purse, pink billfold and credit card with Gorectke's name, the complaint said.
Gorectke's sister told investigators that she last saw her sister at the Helm Bar in downtown La Crosse early Sunday, and they became separated, the complaint said. Gorectke was in La Crosse visiting her sister, who attends Viterbo University.
Ramirez was charged in Houston County Court in Caledonia, Minn., with two counts of driving under the influence and one count of driving without a Minnesota license.
He waived extradition Monday afternoon at a hearing before Houston County Judge James Fabian, saying through an interpreter that he knew police were looking for him "so I may as well go back to Wisconsin.
"He was expected to appear Tuesday in court at La Crosse.
http://www.wjfw-nbc12.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4579&Itemid=51
Minocqua Woman Murdered
January 22, 2007
Woman's Body Found Outside Wis. Church
(AP) La Crosse, Wis. The purse and credit card of a woman found dead outside a La Crosse church were recovered from the vehicle of a man arrested in Minnesota with blood on his face and hands, according to a criminal complaint.
Irvin Ramirez, 24, of Onalaska was charged in La Crosse County Circuit Court with one count of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Danielle Gorectke, 23, of Minocqua, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the complaint said.
Gorectke's partially clothed body was found at the bottom of the stairs outside Christ Covenant Church about 8 a.m. Sunday by a worker plowing the church's parking lot, authorities said. She was naked from the waist down and had "multiple contusions and lacerations to her head," the complaint said.
Ramirez had been arrested about three and a half hours earlier in La Crescent, Minn. He got into an argument with a convenience store clerk, who called police to deal with what seemed to be an intoxicated driver, the complaint said.
The responding officer noticed Ramirez had blood on his face, coat and hands. Police searched his vehicle and found a purse, pink billfold and credit card with Gorectke's name, the complaint said.
Gorectke's sister told investigators that she last saw her sister at the Helm Bar in downtown La Crosse early Sunday, and they became separated, the complaint said. Gorectke was in La Crosse visiting her sister, who attends Viterbo University.
Ramirez was charged in Houston County Court in Caledonia, Minn., with two counts of driving under the influence and one count of driving without a Minnesota license.
He waived extradition Monday afternoon at a hearing before Houston County Judge James Fabian, saying through an interpreter that he knew police were looking for him "so I may as well go back to Wisconsin.
"He was expected to appear Tuesday in court at La Crosse.
http://www.wjfw-nbc12.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4579&Itemid=51
Minocqua Woman Murdered
January 22, 2007
A Minocqua woman is murdered in La Crosse- and police say they have a suspect in custody.
23-year old Danielle Gorectke was last seen at the Helm Bar in LaCrosse.
The 23-year old Minocqua Native and UW Stevens Point student went missing after going out in downtown LaCrosse with her sister Saturday night. Gorectke's body was found outside Christ Covenant church early Sunday Morning. A criminal complaint says she had multiple cuts and bruises to her body.
24-year old Irvin Mauricio Ramirez is now charged with Gorectke's murder. Investigators say Ramirez had Gorectke's purse and credit card in his car. Today- Ramirez appeared in a Minnesota Courtroom and waived his right to extradition and will now be sent back to Wisconsin. Ramirez is charged with first degree intentional homicide of Danielle Gorectke.
Earlier that same night - Irvin Ramirez was arrested for DWI - driving while intoxicated - in Minnesotta. According to the LaCrosse Police Department - the arresting officer noticed something was amiss when he saw blood on Ramirez's shirt and Gorectke's purse and credit card in his car. This led to Ramirez being brought into custody as a suspect for Gorectke's death.
Danielle Gorectke was a student at UW Stevens Point. There will be a memorial service for her tomorrow at 3 PM on the UW Stevens Point Campus.
http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/7453126.html
Irvin Ramirez asked for a new lawyer for his murder trial and the judge granted his request Thursday. Ramirez also asked for a copy of all reports in Spanish because he did not understand what was in the reports. Ramirez briefly talked with family on his way out of the courtroom. His trial will now begin in August.
Judge Gonzalez, Ramirez and the prosecutors were all hoping for a quick trial but the State Public Defenders Office says this plays no role in deciding whether a request for new defense is granted.
"The request is a request that is honored no matter what the reason is,” says Elliot Levine with the State Public Defenders Office. “The rules allow him to make a request, actually, ultimately the court has to make the decision whether it's within something they will grant or not and so Judge Gonzalez made the decision to grant the request that he's making"
Levine says there is a short list of attorneys available and qualified to handle a murder trial like Ramirez’s.
