Self-Proclaimed ‘Patriot’ Convicted of Murder for Shooting Man Over U.S. Citizenship Envy in Gwinnett County

A Gwinnett County jury has convicted Jorge Alberto Ramirez, 35, of multiple charges, including three counts of felony murder, in connection with the April 14, 2021, shooting death of 23-year-old Pedro Lopez-Belloso. The incident, which occurred on Jimmy Carter Boulevard, has shocked the community with its brutality and the motivations behind it.

Ramirez, a self-proclaimed “patriot,” was found guilty of shooting Lopez-Belloso in the back of the head while riding in the back seat of an SUV. In addition to the felony murder charges, Ramirez was convicted of aggravated assault, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He has been sentenced to life in prison plus five years.

The fatal encounter took place when Ramirez, armed with an AR-15 rifle, claimed to have felt nervous because Lopez-Belloso was allegedly armed. Ramirez stated that he chambered a round into the rifle because of a “weird feeling” about the others in the vehicle. He initially told police that the rifle accidentally fired, striking Lopez-Belloso, who was seated in the front passenger seat, in the back of the head.

However, evidence presented at trial contradicted Ramirez’s claim of an accidental discharge. Witnesses testified that Ramirez expressed his intention to shoot Lopez-Belloso, telling the driver of the SUV, “I don’t give a damn … There ain’t gonna be emotion of jealousy, envy, hatred …” Further damning evidence emerged when Ramirez was recorded by Gwinnett County Police, stating that he shot Lopez-Belloso because the “immigrant want(s) to envy, hate, and be jealous on an American citizen of the United States of America.” He added, “…Our oath is if you try our patriots, our patriots will respond with the almighty great accuracy, and definition of a solution … It’s simple, bro., I don’t give a damn about no murders, I don’t give a damn about no kidnappings. I don’t give a damn about nothing…”

During the trial, Ramirez changed his story, claiming that he had been asleep in the back of the SUV when the rifle, which was propped up next to him, fell over and fired. However, an analysis conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations determined that the weapon could not have accidentally misfired and only could have discharged if the trigger was deliberately pulled.

District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson, who oversaw the prosecution, expressed her sorrow for the victim’s family, stating, “This was a cruel and violent way to die. We grieve with Mr. Lopez-Belloso’s family and loved ones. In prosecuting this death, we send the message that no one has the right to determine who deserves to die.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Anthony Volkodav and Marlene Oldeen, with critical support from DA’s Investigator Matt Cleland and Victim Advocate Korrine Haskins. Gwinnett County Police Detective J. Lawson played a key role in the investigation that led to Ramirez’s conviction.