Sex workers beat homicide victim with their high heels, Oakland police say

OAKLAND — A third suspect has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of a 46-year-old man who police say was beaten with high heels and stabbed in the buttocks.

Miah Newman, 19, of San Jose, was charged this week with murdering Roy Ramsey in a March 29 stabbing and beating. Her co-defendant, 23-year-old Kimberly Burgos, was charged earlier this month, as was a 17-year-old girl who is facing charges as a juvenile. Two of the five females allegedly involved have not been identified.

One of the suspects allegedly sent a text message saying that Ramsey was intoxicated and started the altercation by “slamming” Newman to the ground, authorities said.

Both Newman and Burgos have been released from jail, per court orders that require them to wear GPS monitors, report to a job training program and not engage in prostitution or loiter in areas associated with it. Prosecutors did not contest their release from jail, court records show.

According to authorities, Ramsey was seen arguing with a group of five suspected sex workers around 2:20 a.m. on the 1500 block of International Boulevard in Oakland. The teen girl allegedly struck him repeatedly, causing him to run to the 1400 block of 15th Avenue, where Newman allegedly beat him in the head with one of her high heels.

Burgos allegedly joined in the fight shortly thereafter, putting Ramsey in a chokehold and taking him to the ground with her arm grasped around his neck. At some point during the fracas, the girl allegedly pulled a knife from her bra and stabbed Ramsey in the buttocks, authorities said.

In a search of the girl’s phone, police reportedly found a text message to “wifey” — identified as Newman — which stated, “I stabbed…his booty” and then started “beating (Ramsey with) my heels.” The message also referred to Ramsey as a “drunk a–,” authorities said.

The girl and Burgos were arrested the day after the homicide, a block away from where Ramsey was killed. A bloody knife was found in the girl’s possession, authorities said. Newman was arrested April 16 and allegedly admitted to placing him in a chokehold.

Ramsey’s body was discovered and reported to police until after 7 a.m., nearly five hours after police believe he was attacked and left for dead on the pavement, authorities said.