Man who battered Idaho woman gets maximum prison sentence in connection with her death

NAMPA (Idaho Statesman) — A 31-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison — the maximum allowed under the law — for his involvement in the death of a Nampa woman last year.

Justino Morales Ramos, of Mexico, was arrested in January 2023 on suspicion of felony failure to report a death. He pleaded guilty in March to aggravated battery and use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a crime, both felonies. A failure to report a death felony charge was dismissed, court records showed.

Nampa police found Maria Criselda Reyes Esparza, 38, dead in her apartment in the 1800 block of First Street North after a 911 caller, who hadn’t heard from her for several days, reported the body, police previously said. She was discovered with signs of bludgeoning to her head and slashes to her throat, and wrapped in a deflated air mattress, according to a Wednesday news release from the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office.

Police quickly labeled Ramos as a “person of interest in a homicide” and arrested him in Caldwell two days after officers found Esparza’s body. At the time, Caldwell police said in a news release for his arrest that “murder charges are pending.” He never appeared to have faced such charges, according to court records.

It remains unclear whether Ramos and Esparza knew one another. An online obituary for Esparza reported that she died “by the hands of domestic battery.”

A spokesperson for the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond Wednesday to a call and email from the Idaho Statesman requesting more information.

Judge Gabriel McCarthy, of Idaho’s 3rd Judicial District in Canyon County, handed down Ramos’ sentence, which does not allow for parole. Ramos also was ordered to pay restitution to Esparza’s family, the Wednesday news release said.

Ramos was credited with nearly two years of jail time toward his 30-year sentence. He is expected to complete his sentence in early into the year 2053.