Ramon Jay Franks was born on March 13, 1960, in Emmett, Idaho. His father was a white American, and his mother was a black woman who had immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago. Because his birth parents could not take care of him due to financial problems, Ramon was adopted by the Rogers family. Friends and relatives said the two families got along well, and they often visited each other.

In high school, Ramon was active in sports and was well-respected by his classmates. After he graduated, he joined the Navy and served until 1982. While in the Navy, he met a man named Ronald "Ron" Stadt. After their service, they moved to San Diego, California, where they became roommates.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ramon held a variety of jobs. He worked as a reserve sheriff's deputy and also appeared as a movie extra. He had small roles in the TV show "Renegade" and for the local Crime Stoppers, often playing criminals or prisoners. In addition, Ramon ran a car window tinting business and a cellular phone service. He was also the apartment manager of a building on Saranac Street. In the mid-1990s, Ramon tried to join a heavy metal band called "Mister Butterfly" as their drummer.

In July 1992, Ramon Rogers' best friend, Ron Stadt, was going through a divorce and a custody dispute over his child. In 1993, Stadt found out his ex-wife had an affair with Rogers. On June 24, 1993, they had an argument over the phone. That night, Stadt went to Rogers' apartment and was last seen alive by his ex-wife, who noticed them both in an alley. After that, Stadt disappeared. Rogers gave different reasons for Stadt's absence, leading friends to suspect something was wrong.

Later in 1993, Rogers learned that his ex-girlfriend, Rose Albano, was pregnant and demanded she have an abortion and leave his apartment. Albano was last seen on December 18, and five days later, Rogers reported her missing, giving inconsistent accounts about her whereabouts. Her dismembered remains were later found, and investigators connected Rogers to her case.

In early 1996, Rogers tried to bring his son back from Poland, where he had a relationship with Beatrice Toronczak. Toronczak went missing shortly before her birthday. Rogers offered various excuses, claiming she ran off. After her relatives reported her missing, police searched his apartment and discovered multiple pieces of evidence indicating a murder had occurred. They found personal items belonging to Toronczak, human remains, and other incriminating materials.

Rogers was charged with Toronczak's murder and later linked to the murders of Stadt and Albano. Investigators also looked into another case from 1977 concerning a neighbor in Idaho but found no conclusive evidence against him for that case.

In September 1996, Rogers stood trial, during which the prosecution presented damning evidence found in his apartment. In June 1997, he was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder for Albano and Toronczak and one count of second-degree murder for Stadt. He received a death sentence, which was upheld by the California Supreme Court in 2009. As of July 2024, he remains on death row.