Ronald Young was a small-time criminal involved in various fraudulent activities. He met Pamela Phillips in Aspen, Colorado, where they developed a professional relationship. Young was known for his involvement in forgery and embezzlement, which eventually led to his fugitive status.

In 1996, Ronald Young was hired by Pamela Phillips to murder her ex-husband, Gary Triano. Young constructed and placed a pipe bomb in Triano's car, which detonated on November 1, 1996, killing Triano instantly. Following the murder, Young fled and remained a fugitive until his arrest in Florida in 2005. He was convicted in 2010 of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, receiving a life sentence.