In a significant development in a Morgantown, West Virginia murder case, Jonathan Ramirez, a 23-year-old man from Watauga, Texas, has waived his right to a preliminary hearing, propelling the case towards trial. Ramirez is charged with the first-degree murder of Jacob Lough, a 26-year-old employee of Learfield/Mountaineer Sports Properties, following an incident that occurred on January 16, 2024.
Lough’s body was discovered by a coworker on the floor of his Milford Street residence, with authorities reporting that he had suffered multiple stab wounds to the back, neck, and head. The waiver of the preliminary hearing by Ramirez means that his case will now be transferred to Monongalia County Circuit Court, where a grand jury will consider it. This procedural move is a critical step in the legal process, bypassing the need for an initial hearing to establish probable cause.
The investigation into Lough’s death revealed that Ramirez was captured on surveillance footage leaving Lough’s vehicle in a parking lot at West Virginia University’s downtown campus. Further video evidence from the WVU Mountainlair and other downtown locations helped police track Ramirez’s movements. Notably, Ramirez was found to have bandages on his hands, which matched bandage wrappers recovered at the crime scene, suggesting injuries consistent with the violent nature of Lough’s death.