Ezra Fleming Ralston, a 29-year-old man, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering his grandparents in a bid to take over their waterfront property in Washington state and establish a commune. The jury convicted Ralston in June on two counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and first-degree arson. The sentencing took place on Wednesday.
In May 2020, Joanna Gormley, 73, and Ted Ralston, 71, were brutally murdered before their home on the Key Peninsula near Tacoma, Washington, was set ablaze in an attempt to conceal the crime. Ezra Ralston, who resided with his grandparents, conspired with his girlfriend and two other accomplices to carry out the heinous act.
The investigation revealed that the grandson and his friends plotted the murder to establish a commune on the victims’ waterfront property in Vaughn. The detectives conducted numerous interviews, executed multiple search warrants, and examined a large amount of evidence to identify the four suspects involved in the murders.
The other convicts include Sean Higgins, 26, who was also sentenced to life in prison; Spencer Kleine, 26, who received a 45-year sentence; and Ezra Ralston’s girlfriend Rebecka Neubauer, 25, who will spend the next 33 years and four months behind bars.
On the night of May 17, 2020, neighbors alerted the fire department after hearing several loud explosions. Firefighters discovered Gormley and Ralston dead in the basement, lying side by side. They also found evidence that the fire was intentionally set, including five gas cans in the kitchen and a propane tank that had exploded in the home. The victims’ bodies were in a suspicious position, suggesting they had been dragged down the stairs.
Autopsies revealed that both victims were stabbed to death. Gormley was stabbed in the neck multiple times, while her husband suffered numerous stab wounds to the chest. During the investigation, detectives found another gas canister in Ezra Ralston’s car. His mother also contacted investigators, expressing concern about her son’s mental health and urging them to locate him.
Neubauer confessed to detectives that she and Ralston had discussed killing his grandparents multiple times to take over their home. Text messages between the two revealed ongoing discussions about starting a commune in the home.
After the murders, Ezra Ralston discussed using bleach as the house began to smell like a science experiment with dead frogs. The victims, Joanna Gormley and Ted Ralston, were cherished members of their Key Peninsula community. A memorial was held a day after their deaths, with attendees observing COVID-19 protocols.