Bio

Evan E. Ramsey was born on February 8, 1981, in Bethel, Alaska. He had a difficult childhood. When he was just five years old, his father was sent to prison after a standoff with the police. This left Evan's mother overwhelmed, and she became an alcoholic. Following this, Evan and his siblings were placed into foster care by the Anchorage Department of Youth and Family Services. During this period, he lived in several foster homes, facing significant challenges, including reports of abuse in at least one of those homes.

By the time he was ten, Evan was struggling with depression. He had already attempted suicide at that age. His childhood was filled with instability, as he moved through eleven different foster homes within a few years. He and his younger brother were often bullied by other children, further contributing to his emotional struggles.

When Evan was about ten years old, he and his brother were adopted. They settled with their new foster family in Bethel, where Evan attended school. At school, he experienced frequent bullying. Other students often teased him and called him names, which added to his feelings of isolation. He was seen as an outsider, never quite fitting in with the popular groups at school.

Evan's father was a controversial figure known as the "Rambo of Alaska." In 1986, Don Ramsey held hostages at a local newspaper office after being upset that they refused to publish his letter. He was imprisoned for this act, and he was released shortly before Evan's later actions at school.

During his teenage years, Evan spent a lot of time playing video games, particularly a violent first-person shooter called Doom. Friends mentioned that he often complained about feeling harassed at school, with some describing him using names like "Screech," a character from a TV show. His mental health issues and experiences with bullying created a challenging environment for him during his formative years.

Murder Story

On February 19, 1997, Evan Ramsey arrived at Bethel Regional High School in Bethel, Alaska, armed with a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun. He had received the gun from a friend who taught him how to use it. During his rampage, he first shot 15-year-old Josh Palacios, causing fatal injuries. Following that, he entered the main lobby and killed principal Ron Edwards. He also wounded two other students during the shooting.

After these acts, Ramsey turned the shotgun on himself, placing the barrel under his chin but did not pull the trigger. Instead, he laid the gun on the ground and surrendered to the police who had arrived on the scene.

Ramsey was arrested on the day of the shooting and charged as an adult. In December 1998, he was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree attempted murder, and fifteen counts of third-degree assault. He was originally sentenced to 210 years in prison, but this sentence was later reduced to two 99-year terms on appeal. He is currently held at the Spring Creek Correctional Center and is eligible for parole in 2066.