A man in Oregon has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving 25 years for the murder of his mother at their residence in 2024.
A Clackamas County jury has delivered a guilty verdict in the murder trial of Ronald Kirk, who was found responsible for the fatal shooting of his 61-year-old mother, Rosa Leyva.
Kirk has been found guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm.
During the verdict hearing, Michelle Guzman, the younger sister of Ms. Leyva, expressed the immense difficulty her family has faced over the past two years.
On November 26, 2024, a welfare check was conducted at a residence shared by Leeva and Kirk on Southeast Cason Road in Gladstone, following concerns from colleagues that Kirk had not reported to work.
A man identified as Kirk informed responding officers that his mother was located inside the residence and had been unresponsive for approximately a day.
A deceased female was discovered seated at a dining room table, with her laptop in front of her, accompanied by a glass of wine.
A forensic investigation determined that Leyva's death occurred in the vicinity of 6:45 p.m. on November 25.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Rusty Amos testified that Kirk remained beside his mother's body for an entire day.
Leyva's son struggled with a range of issues, including alcoholism, substance abuse, and erratic behavior, which were exacerbated by his use of alcohol and drugs.
Kirk's behavior became increasingly erratic due to substance abuse, leading him to become fixated on exorcism and demon possession. In the weeks preceding his death, Leyva confided in a close friend that Kirk had become convinced she was under demonic possession.
Prosecutors claimed that, approximately a month prior to the murder, Kirk had left a voicemail for his son, expressing concerns that his mother was experiencing a mental disturbance and had narrowly missed shooting him the day before.
Prosecutors claim that on November 8, Leyva sent a text message to his son, stating his intention to have him leave the home and also informing him that he had contacted the police for assistance.
A close associate expressed growing concern about Kirk's unpredictable behavior, which was exacerbated by his substance use.
