Testimony continued Wednesday in connection with a Texas man accused of killing a classmate inside a school restroom in 2022.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, prosecutors said Caysen Allison, then 18, stabbed Jose Luis “Joe” Ramirez Jr., 18, multiple times during a fight involving several students on May 18, 2022, at Belton High School in Belton.
Police arrested Allison shortly after the incident and found a folding knife at his home, covered in what appeared to be blood. He’s now charged with murder.
On Wednesday, Ramirez’s brother, Jose Rios, testified that on the Saturday before the fight, during an after-prom party, Allison had been behaving “inappropriately” toward another friend’s date. Rios said he saw the incident from a distance before Ramirez then stepped in, leading to a verbal altercation.
A physical fight between the victim and defendant was then suggested to take place at another time.
Rios said that someone added him to a Snapchat group, where Allison allegedly suggested moving the fight to West Temple Park. Rios testified the two already had one altercation on the morning in question, in the school parking lot, and then tried to arrange another confrontation, but bumped into each other in the bathroom before it happened.
“(Allison) wanted to go to West Temple Park in the woods to fight (Ramirez),” Rios said. “He sent a screenshot showing where. Joe didn’t want to fight there … I didn’t think it was actually going to happen.”
Rios added Wednesday that Ramirez decided to carry out the fight in the restroom.
“As soon as Caysen walked in, they started arguing and Joe said if they were going to fight that they should do it here and now,” Rios said.
According to NBC 6, Allison allegedly hesitated but ultimately joined the fight. A witness inside the bathroom said he saw Ramirez swing first, leading to the stabbing.
On Tuesday, former Belton High School students, Tito Shamel and Angel Morillo testified. They were two of the six people, including Allison and Ramirez, inside the restroom when the fight began.
Shamel testified that he had a close friendship with Ramirez and saw the confrontation as it unfolded in the restroom. He told the court he recorded part of the incident on his phone.
Jurors viewed the video footage in court on Tuesday, according to KWTX.
Shamel said the video showed Ramirez throwing a punch at Allison. He said the footage then showed Allison pulling out a knife before a loud scream is heard and the video shuts off.
Reina Barber, a friend of Allison and acquaintance of Ramirez, also testified. She said she attempted to defuse the situation by calming Ramirez shortly before the fight began.
Barber said Ramirez and his friends had a reputation for getting into fights, adding that Ramirez often wanted his fights filmed.
Barber testified that Allison didn’t usually carry a knife, but had one that day for self-defense.
“Caysen survived what could have very well been death or bodily injury by a group beat down,” defense attorney Zachary Boyd said during opening statements, adding that the defendant was “in the fight for his life when he was jumped by five friends.”
The prosecution argued earlier this week that Allison claimed he only stabbed Ramirez once, but a hospital exam indicated that the has stab wounds to his chest, legs, arms, and back. Witnesses described earlier this week seeing the victim with “gaping wound across his left chest.” after he fled from the bathroom, bleeding profusely.
People Magazine reports that an additional charge was filed against Allison a few days after the stabbing, after he “allegedly assaulted a family member.”
If convicted, Allison could face life behind bars.
The trial continues. Check back for updates.
[Feature Photos: Joe Ramirez/Handout; Caysen Allison/Benton County PD
