July 9, 2026

The Story of Ambrosio Analco Ramirez

The Story of Ambrosio Analco Ramirez

In this heartbreaking episode of Among Monsters, Myia Vale examines the 2007 Delavan, Wisconsin family massacre committed by Ambrosio Analco Ramirez. Through a factual, victim-centered investigation, we explore the warning signs of domestic violence, the tragic events that unfolded inside a quiet family home, and the lasting impact on a community forever changed.

WEBVTT

1
00:00:02.040 --> 00:00:06.679
On an ordinary Saturday morning, neighbors on Cell's Second Street

2
00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:10.919
in Delavan, Wisconsin expected the sound that usually marked the

3
00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:17.079
beginning of summer, children playing outside, cars leaving driveways, the

4
00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:22.399
quiet rhythm of a small Midwestern town waking up. Instead,

5
00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:27.960
just after sunrise, the silence was shattered by gunfire. Inside

6
00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:32.159
a modest home, an entire family had been nearly erased.

7
00:00:33.079 --> 00:00:38.759
A young mother, her infant, twin boys, her sister, a

8
00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:44.119
family friend. Five innocent people whose lives ended within minutes.

9
00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:50.399
Only one small child remained alive, two year old Jasmine.

10
00:00:50.439 --> 00:00:54.719
She had been shot, but somehow survived. When first responders

11
00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:58.280
entered the home, they encountered one of the most devastating

12
00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:04.040
crime scenes Wisconsin had ever witnessed. Officers immediately realized this

13
00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:08.120
wasn't a random act of violence. It wasn't a burglary

14
00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:14.079
gone wrong. This was something far more personal, far more heartbreaking.

15
00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:19.200
The investigation would reveal a history of fear, separation and

16
00:01:19.400 --> 00:01:24.840
escalating domestic violence that had reached its tragic conclusion. Tonight,

17
00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:29.439
we examined the documented events surrounding one of Wisconsin's deadliest

18
00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:34.640
family murders. I'm Maya Hanson, and this is among monsters.

19
00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:39.159
There are crimes that seem impossible to understand, not because

20
00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:43.799
investigators can't identify who committed them, not because evidence is missing,

21
00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:49.239
but because the devastation left behind feels almost beyond comprehension.

22
00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:54.799
When entire families are destroyed, people instinctively ask one question,

23
00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:58.920
why why would someone choose to end the lives of

24
00:01:59.079 --> 00:02:02.519
the very people they once claimed to love. The answer

25
00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:07.000
is rarely simple. Domestic violence often follows a pattern that

26
00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:15.520
experts have studied for decades. Control isolation, threats, escalation, moments

27
00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:20.120
of calm, followed by renewed abuse. When a victim decides

28
00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:23.960
to leave, that period can become the most dangerous time

29
00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:30.960
of all. According to domestic violence researchers, separation frequently increases

30
00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:36.280
the risk of lethal violence. This case illustrates that reality

31
00:02:36.439 --> 00:02:42.599
in the most tragic way imaginable. Tonight's episode contains descriptions

32
00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:47.879
of homicide and domestic violence involving children. Our goal is

33
00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:52.960
not to sensationalize what happened. Instead, we hope to honor

34
00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:56.919
the victims by telling their story accurately and respectfully, while

35
00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:01.800
examining the warning signs that surrounded this tradg Delavan is

36
00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:05.080
a kind of community where people recognized one another at

37
00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:09.759
the grocery store. Located in southern Wisconsin, not far from

38
00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:14.199
the Illinois border. It's known for its lake, its parks,

39
00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:19.159
and neighborhoods where families often spend years building their lives.

40
00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:24.800
People moved to communities like Delavan looking for stability, safety,

41
00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:29.080
a place to raise children. By two thousand and seven,

42
00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:33.800
the town had experienced its share of ordinary crime, but

43
00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:37.280
nothing prepared residents for what would happen that June morning.

44
00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:42.919
News traveled quickly. Police cars filled the neighborhood. Crime scene

45
00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:46.960
tape surrounded a home where multiple generations of a family

46
00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:51.919
had gathered. Rumors spread before the facts did. Neighbors stood outside,

47
00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:57.560
wondering who had survived who hadn't. Many knew the family personally.

48
00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:02.240
Others simply couldn't believe something so horrific had happened in

49
00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:08.400
their community. For investigators, however, the focus remained inside the house.

50
00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:14.719
Every room held evidence. Every piece of evidence helped reconstruct

51
00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:18.480
the final hours before the violence erupted. At the center

52
00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:21.439
of this story was a young mother determined to build

53
00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:26.519
a better future. Nicole mcaffe had recently welcomed twin boys

54
00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:30.680
into the world. Like many new parents. Her days revolved

55
00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:36.920
around feedings, diaper changes, sleepless nights, and caring for young children.

56
00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:42.319
Life wasn't easy, but friends described someone devoted to her children,

57
00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:47.800
someone trying to create stability despite enormous challenges. She wasn't

58
00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:52.439
living alone. Family members had become an important support system

59
00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:56.800
for many victims of domestic violence. Support from relatives can

60
00:04:56.879 --> 00:05:02.279
become a lifeline. Leaving an abusive relationship often means depending

61
00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:07.879
on parents, siblings, or friends while rebuilding a life. It's

62
00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:14.000
a difficult decision. Leaving requires courage. It also carries enormous risk.

63
00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:18.160
Investigators would later learn that Nicole had been trying to

64
00:05:18.199 --> 00:05:22.160
separate herself from the man who fathered her children. That

65
00:05:22.360 --> 00:05:25.560
decision would become one of the most significant facts in

66
00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:31.319
understanding what happened next. Public records and reporting indicate the

67
00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:38.240
relationship between Nicole and Ambrosio Ramirez had deteriorated before the murders.

68
00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:43.560
Like many abusive relationships, the problems did not appear overnight.

69
00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:50.959
Domestic violence often develops gradually. Control can begin suddenly, monitoring

70
00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:55.279
where someone goes, who they spend time with, arguments that

71
00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:02.040
become increasingly intense, Attempts to isolate the victim threats. Fear

72
00:06:02.680 --> 00:06:09.399
experts consistently explain that abusive relationships are fundamentally about power

73
00:06:09.560 --> 00:06:14.519
and control rather than anger alone. As investigators pieced together

74
00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:19.240
the history of Nicholl's relationship, they found evidence that suggested

75
00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:23.879
the relationship had reached a breaking point. Nichole was trying

76
00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:27.759
to move forward. She was focused on caring for her children,

77
00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:34.600
supported by family. She was attempting to build a safer environment. Unfortunately,

78
00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:40.079
research has shown that the period immediately following separation is

79
00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:44.959
often when abusive partners become the most dangerous. The loss

80
00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:49.959
of control can trigger escalating violence. That pattern has appeared

81
00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:55.079
in countless domestic homicide cases across the United States. Sadly,

82
00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:59.560
Delevan would become another example. The house on self second

83
00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:04.920
Street wasn't simply an address. It represented safety. Inside lived

84
00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:09.639
people trying to help one another. Family members shared responsibilities,

85
00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:13.920
They helped care for the children, They offered emotional support.

86
00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:17.600
They created the type of home many families depend on

87
00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:21.399
during difficult times. No one inside could have imagined how

88
00:07:21.480 --> 00:07:25.920
quickly everything would change. Morning routines had likely already begun.

89
00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:31.040
The twins needed attention. Breakfast may have been underway. The

90
00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:36.160
ordinary sounds of family life filled the house. Outside, neighbors

91
00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:40.480
had no reason to suspect anything unusual, But somewhere nearby,

92
00:07:41.079 --> 00:07:44.360
someone had already made a decision that would forever change

93
00:07:44.439 --> 00:07:48.160
dozens of lives. Understanding a crime is not the same

94
00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:53.839
as excusing it. It's important to distinguish between explanation and justification.

95
00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:58.279
Nothing explains a way the murders that occurred that morning,

96
00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:04.759
Investigators would identify Ambrosio Ramirez as the gunman. Evidence showed

97
00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:09.480
he arrived armed. The fact alone suggested preparation. This was

98
00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:14.959
int a spontaneous argument that unexpectedly escalated. Authorities concluded that

99
00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:18.399
he came to the residence carrying a firearm. What happened

100
00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:22.920
after he entered unfolded with horrifying speed. The victims had

101
00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:27.959
little opportunity to escape, some had virtually no chance at all.

102
00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:33.639
Within minutes, multiple lives had been taken. The violence affected adults,

103
00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:37.360
it affected infants, and it left one little girl fighting

104
00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:42.240
to survive. For investigators, the sequence of events would become crucial.

105
00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:48.399
Every shell casing, every room, every witness statement, every forensic

106
00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:53.399
detail helped reconstruct those final moments. But before detectives could

107
00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:58.039
understand the full picture. First responders had to secure one

108
00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:02.000
of the most emotionally devastated crime scenes of their careers.

109
00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:05.120
The first calls for help came in during the early

110
00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:08.399
morning hours of June ninth, two thousand and seven. For

111
00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:14.639
emergency dispatchers, every call carries uncertainty. Sometimes it's a medical emergency,

112
00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:19.399
sometimes it's a fire, sometimes it's an accident. But every

113
00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:23.600
so often a dispatcher hears something that immediately tells them

114
00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:27.080
the situation unfolding on the other end of the line

115
00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:32.200
is unlike anything they've encountered before. As law enforcement officers

116
00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:36.480
and emergency medical personnel raced towards South's Second Street, they

117
00:09:36.519 --> 00:09:40.799
had only fragments of information. There had been gunshots. There

118
00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:44.840
were reports that multiple people had been injured. Beyond that,

119
00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:49.559
very little was clear. No one responding could have anticipated

120
00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:53.799
the devastation waiting inside. Police officers are trained to enter

121
00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:58.759
dangerous situations quickly. Their first priorities are always the same,

122
00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:04.919
stop threat, protect anyone still alive, secure the scene. When

123
00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:09.279
officers approached the residents, they had every reason to believe

124
00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:14.159
an armed suspect might still be inside. Every doorway presented

125
00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:18.639
a risk. Every room had to be cleared fully. As

126
00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:22.879
they moved through the home, they began discovering victims one

127
00:10:22.919 --> 00:10:27.480
after another. The realization came almost immediately that this was

128
00:10:27.559 --> 00:10:31.879
not a single homicide. This was a mass casualty event.

129
00:10:32.519 --> 00:10:37.080
Officers located adults who had suffered fatal gunshot wounds. They

130
00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:41.559
found the infant twins. The children's lives had been taken

131
00:10:41.639 --> 00:10:46.720
before they had even begun. For seasoned investigators, crimes involving

132
00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:51.120
children are among the most emotionally difficult they will ever face.

133
00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:56.840
Training teaches officers how to preserve evidence. Nothing can prepare

134
00:10:56.879 --> 00:11:01.879
them emotionally for scenes involving babies. Then came something unexpected.

135
00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:07.159
Someone was still alive. Two year old Jasmine had survived.

136
00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:12.240
She had suffered a gunshot wound, but against overwhelming odds,

137
00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:17.919
she was breathing. Paramedics moved quickly. Every second mattered. They

138
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:22.399
stabilized her as rapidly as possible before transporting her for

139
00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:27.200
emergency medical care. In a house filled with unimaginable loss,

140
00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:32.320
Jasmine represented the only hope. Her survival would later become

141
00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:35.559
one of the few moments of light in an otherwise

142
00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:40.720
heartbreaking story. She had endured something no child should ever experience.

143
00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:44.720
Although too young, to fully understand what had happened. The

144
00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:48.840
physical and emotional consequences of that morning would remain part

145
00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:52.879
of her life forever. As investigators worked through the residents,

146
00:11:53.639 --> 00:11:56.759
they confirmed the identities of those who had been killed.

147
00:11:57.159 --> 00:12:01.399
Among them was Nicole mcaffee, the young mother at the

148
00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:05.320
center of this tragedy. Nearby were her infant twin sons,

149
00:12:05.960 --> 00:12:10.200
Their lives had lasted only a matter of months. Nicole's sister,

150
00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:14.279
Melissa mccaffee, was also killed. She had been part of

151
00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:17.840
the family's support system, helping care for those inside the home.

152
00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:24.399
Another victim, family friend, Jose Hernandez, was also found deceased. Finally,

153
00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:29.879
investigators located the body of the gunman himself. Authorities determined

154
00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:34.159
that after killing the others, Ambrosio Ramirez died from a

155
00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:38.600
self inflicted gunshot wound. Within only a few minutes, six

156
00:12:38.679 --> 00:12:43.840
lives had been lost, an entire extended family had been shattered. Outside,

157
00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:48.840
the neighborhood had transformed. Police vehicles lined the streets, Yellow

158
00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:53.519
crime scene tapes stretched across yards. Neighbors stood together quietly

159
00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:58.159
trying to understand what was happening. Many recognized the address,

160
00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:03.679
some knew the family personally. Others had watched ambulances arrive

161
00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:08.519
without knowing who had been inside. Questions spread faster than answers.

162
00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:13.279
People whispered was it a robbery? Was there an intruder?

163
00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:19.759
Were children involved? As investigators gradually released information, the truth

164
00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:24.559
proved even more devastating than the rumors. This wasn't random violence.

165
00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:29.120
It had happened within a family. Although investigators believe early

166
00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:32.440
on that there was no ongoing threat to the public,

167
00:13:32.960 --> 00:13:37.440
their work was only beginning. Every homicide investigation starts with

168
00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:43.840
one central question, what happened. Answering that question requires extraordinary patience.

169
00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:48.679
Crime Scene technicians photographed every room before anything was moved.

170
00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:54.639
Measurements were taken. Evidence markers appeared across floors and furniture.

171
00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:59.720
Each shell casing was documented exactly where it had fallen.

172
00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:06.639
Bloodstained patterns were carefully examined. Firearms evidence was collected. Nothing

173
00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:11.120
could be overlooked. Even in a case where investigators quickly

174
00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:16.720
identify the shooter, reconstructing events remains essential. The victims deserve

175
00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:24.200
a complete accounting for what occurred. Detectives began interviewing relatives, friends, neighbors,

176
00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:28.000
and anyone who had recent contact with Nicole. A picture

177
00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:35.200
slowly emerged, the relationship between Nichole and Ambrosio had deteriorated significantly.

178
00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:38.279
She had been attempting to move on with her life.

179
00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:44.399
Family members had become increasingly important sources of support. Investigators

180
00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:47.720
looked closely at the days leading up to the murders,

181
00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:54.799
had there been threats, arguments, warning signs, and domestic homicide investigations.

182
00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:59.200
Those questions often reveal a pattern that extends far beyond

183
00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:03.240
the day of the crime itself. Experts have long observed

184
00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:08.120
that lethal violence rarely comes completely without warning. The signs

185
00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:11.960
may not always be obvious to outsiders. Sometimes they are

186
00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:16.440
seen only by those closest to the relationship. Other times,

187
00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:21.320
victims disclose pieces of what they're experiencing but minimize the

188
00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:25.879
danger because they hope things will improve. Sadly, many abusive

189
00:15:25.960 --> 00:15:30.320
relationships follow a cycle that grows increasingly dangerous over time.

190
00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:34.399
One of the most sobering realities in domestic violence research

191
00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:38.840
is this leaving can be the most dangerous moment. From

192
00:15:38.840 --> 00:15:43.240
the outside, people often ask a simple question, if someone

193
00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:46.879
is abusive, why doesn't the victim just leave? The truth

194
00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:54.799
is far more complicated. Leaving frequently requires finding housing, financial stability, childcare,

195
00:15:55.399 --> 00:16:01.559
legal assistance, emotional support, and even after those obstacles are overcome,

196
00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:07.240
the danger doesn't necessarily disappear. Studies have consistently found that

197
00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:12.120
an abusive partner perceived loss of control can increase the

198
00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:17.480
risk of severe violence. That reality has shaped how advocates,

199
00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:24.240
law enforcement agencies, and domestic violence organizations approach safety planning today.

200
00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:28.360
The goal isn't simply helping someone leave, it's helping them

201
00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:32.799
stay safe afterward. Perhaps no aspect of this case has

202
00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.919
stayed with investigators more than the children. The infant twins

203
00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:40.840
had no opportunity to understand the conflicts surrounding them. They

204
00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:46.120
depended entirely on the adults responsible for protecting them. Instead,

205
00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:51.519
they became victims of unimaginable violence. Then there was Jasmine,

206
00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:57.559
barely two years old, physically wounded, emotionally scarred by something

207
00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:02.279
no child should ever witness. Children who survive family violence

208
00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:06.839
often face years of recovery, not only physical healing, but

209
00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:11.039
emotional healing as well. The effects can last a lifetime

210
00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:17.279
or communities. Cases involving children are especially difficult because they

211
00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:22.519
challenge one of society's deepest expectations that home should be

212
00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:26.640
the safest place in a child's life in Delevan, that

213
00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:33.000
expectation had been shattered. As investigators continued assembling evidence, they

214
00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:37.200
also began examining the history that had led to this tragedy,

215
00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:43.640
Understanding that history would become crucial not to excuse the violence,

216
00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:47.240
but to recognize the warning signs that might help prevent

217
00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:53.440
future tragedies. As the crime scene investigation continued, detectives faced

218
00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:57.480
a difficult task. They already knew who had carried out

219
00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:01.920
the shootings. The evidence in the home pointed clearly to

220
00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:07.160
a murder suicide, but identifying the gunman was only the beginning.

221
00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:11.759
The larger question remained, how had this family reached such

222
00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:16.880
a devastating end. Every homicide investigation asked not only who

223
00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:23.359
and how, but why. That answer often lies in the weeks, months,

224
00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:29.400
and even years before violence erupts. For investigators, those early

225
00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:32.880
chapters are just as important as the crime scene itself

226
00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:38.960
because they reveal patterns, patterns that in some cases, may

227
00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:43.880
help prevent future tragedies. Only months before the shooting, Nicole

228
00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:48.559
McAfee had been focused on raising her children. Anyone who

229
00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:53.319
has cared for newborn twins understands the demands. The days

230
00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:59.880
blurred together feedings every few hours, sleepless nights, doctor's appointments,

231
00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:04.440
laundry that never seems to end, and through all of it,

232
00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:07.839
the hope that tomorrow will be just a little easier

233
00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:13.079
than today. Friends and family described Nicole as someone devoted

234
00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:17.920
to her children. Like many young mothers, her attention centered

235
00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:22.000
on giving them every opportunity for a better life. That

236
00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:26.720
desire ultimately led her to rely more heavily on her family.

237
00:19:27.640 --> 00:19:32.480
For victims of abusive relationships, family often becomes more than

238
00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:38.319
emotional support. It becomes protection, a place to stay, people

239
00:19:38.359 --> 00:19:41.799
willing to help watch the children, people willing to stand

240
00:19:41.799 --> 00:19:45.680
beside them while rebuilding a life. That support can make

241
00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:49.079
all the difference. It can also become a source of

242
00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:54.039
resentment for an abusive partner, who sees those relationships as

243
00:19:54.200 --> 00:20:00.400
obstacles in regaining control. Domestic violence advocates frequently emphasi size

244
00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:05.599
one important point. Abuse is rarely about losing control. It

245
00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:09.599
is about trying to maintain it. Control over where someone goes,

246
00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:13.480
who they talk to, who they spend time with, whether

247
00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:18.720
they leave, whether they stay, whether they believe they have choices.

248
00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:24.000
When victims become reclaiming those choices, the abuser's behavior can

249
00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:29.680
escalate dramatically. Threats may become more frequent, Attempts to intimidate

250
00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:34.079
may intensify. The goal becomes restoring the power that feels

251
00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:38.200
like it's slipping away. In this case, investigators found that

252
00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:42.440
Nicole had been moving away from the relationship. While every

253
00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:47.279
relationship is unique, experts say that separation often represents the

254
00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:51.799
period of highest danger. That understanding has become one of

255
00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:56.119
the cornerstones of domestic violence prevention efforts across the country.

256
00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:00.519
Exactly what was said inside the home that morning something

257
00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:04.880
investigators could never fully know. There were no adult survivors

258
00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:09.319
to describe those final conversations. What is knowing comes from

259
00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:15.599
the physical evidence left behind. Authorities concluded that Ambrosio Ramirez

260
00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:19.319
entered the residence armed with a firearm. Within a matter

261
00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:22.880
of minutes, multiple people had been shot. The speed of

262
00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:27.279
the attack left almost no opportunity for anyone inside to react.

263
00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:32.000
Some victims likely had little or no warning. Others may

264
00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:36.079
have tried desperately to protect those around them. Those final

265
00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:40.960
acts of courage often remain unknown, but investigators understand that

266
00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:45.759
in moments of crisis, family members instinctively tried to shield

267
00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:50.519
one another. The evidence told detectives only what happened. It

268
00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:54.519
could never fully capture the fear inside that home. Among

269
00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:59.400
the most remarkable aspects of this case is the survival

270
00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:03.039
of Jazz. She was only two years old, too young

271
00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:06.440
to explain what she had seen, too young to understand

272
00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:10.519
why her world had changed forever. Doctors focus first on

273
00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:15.599
saving her life. Her injuries required immediate treatment. As the

274
00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:20.119
medical team worked, another challenge emerged. Who would care for her?

275
00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:24.519
Now nearly everyone closest to her had been taken away

276
00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:28.640
in a single morning. The tragedy had created not only grief,

277
00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:31.920
but an uncertain future for a little girl who had

278
00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:35.960
already endured more than most people experience in a lifetime.

279
00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:41.519
Children who survive family homicide often require years of support,

280
00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:49.079
medical care, counseling, stable caregivers, and above all, patients. Healing

281
00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:53.200
from trauma is rarely quick, especially when the trauma occurs

282
00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:57.440
before memories can even be fully understood. News of the

283
00:22:57.559 --> 00:23:03.119
murders spread rapidly throughout Delavan. In small communities, tragedies like

284
00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:11.720
this ripple outward teachers, neighbors, church members, co workers, first responders.

285
00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:16.559
Everyone seems connected by only a few degrees. People who

286
00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:19.759
had smiled at the family in passing now found themselves

287
00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:25.079
attending visuals instead. Flowers appeared near the home. Candles flickered.

288
00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:29.119
Late into the evening, Parents hugged their children a little tighter.

289
00:23:29.640 --> 00:23:34.480
Questions echoed through conversations across the community. How could something

290
00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:38.000
like this happen here? Could anyone have seen it coming?

291
00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:42.400
Could anything have stopped it? Those questions are common after

292
00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:49.400
domestic violence homicides. Unfortunately, they rarely have simple answers. Even

293
00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:55.599
after the immediate investigation concluded, Detectives continued revealing every detail.

294
00:23:56.200 --> 00:24:02.200
Cases involving multiple victims undergo intense scrutiny. Reports are reviewed repeatedly,

295
00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:08.440
Evidence is re examined. Witness interviews are compared against forensic findings.

296
00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:13.640
Not because investigators doubt what happened, but because every victim

297
00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:20.079
deserves complete accuracy. For many detectives, certain cases never leave them.

298
00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:25.160
The faces, the rooms, the silence after the crime scene

299
00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:29.880
has finally emptied. Those memories remain long after the reports

300
00:24:29.880 --> 00:24:35.519
are filed away. Crimes involving children are especially difficult. Many

301
00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:39.440
investigators have spoken publicly over the years about carrying those

302
00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:43.599
scenes with them for the rest of their careers. Professional

303
00:24:43.720 --> 00:24:48.720
training teachers resilience it cannot erase heartbreak. The murders in

304
00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:53.480
Delavan became another painful reminder of the devastating consequences of

305
00:24:53.559 --> 00:24:59.480
domestic violence. Organizations throughout Wisconsin used cases like this to

306
00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:05.480
the importance of recognizing mourning signs, encouraging victims to seek help,

307
00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:11.319
encouraging friends and family to take threats seriously, encouraging communities

308
00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:16.160
to support survivors without judgment. No single intervention can prevent

309
00:25:16.359 --> 00:25:21.559
every tragedy, but awareness can save lives. Safety planning can

310
00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:27.680
save lives, Access to shelters, advocates, and protective resources can

311
00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:32.319
save lives. Each lesson learned from cases like this has

312
00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:37.200
helped shape how communities respond today. The story of June ninth,

313
00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:39.759
two thousand and seven did not end when the crime

314
00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:43.880
scene was cleared. For the families left behind. Grief would

315
00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:49.119
continue for years, carried through birthdays, holidays, and milestones that

316
00:25:49.240 --> 00:25:52.680
should have been shared with those who were lost. There

317
00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:56.119
is something investigators often say after a case like this,

318
00:25:56.880 --> 00:26:02.079
the hardest part isn't arriving at the crime scene leaving it. Eventually,

319
00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:07.000
the evidence is collected, the photographs are taken, the reports

320
00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:11.640
are written, the yellow tape comes down, the police cars disappear.

321
00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:16.680
Neighbors return to mowing their lawns. Children ride bicycles through

322
00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:22.039
the streets again. Life somehow begins to move forward. But

323
00:26:22.119 --> 00:26:27.039
for the families left behind, for the detectives, for the paramedics,

324
00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:31.480
for the firefighters, for everyone who walked into that house

325
00:26:31.640 --> 00:26:35.240
on self second Street, life is never quite the same.

326
00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:38.839
Some scenes stay with you. This was one of them.

327
00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:43.000
In the days following the murders, Delivan became a community

328
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:47.319
of mourning. Churches open their doors for prayer. Councilors were

329
00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:51.319
made available for students and community members struggling to process

330
00:26:51.400 --> 00:26:56.599
what had happened. News crews arrived from across Wisconsin. Satellite

331
00:26:56.599 --> 00:27:00.160
trucks lined nearby streets for a town of custom them

332
00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:05.599
to quiet summers, the attention felt surreal. Residents found themselves

333
00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:10.559
answering questions from reporters asking how something so horrific could

334
00:27:10.599 --> 00:27:15.359
happen in their neighborhood. Many simply shook their heads. There

335
00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:19.119
were no words that seemed adequate, because there rarely are.

336
00:27:19.799 --> 00:27:24.359
As investigators completed their work, attention gradually shifted away from

337
00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:27.720
the crime itself and toward the people whose lives had

338
00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:32.200
been stolen. Nicole mcaffee was remembered first as a mother,

339
00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:36.039
a young woman raising small children while trying to build

340
00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:40.920
a safer future. Her loved ones remembered her smile, her determination,

341
00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:44.880
her devotion to her children. Those who knew her described

342
00:27:44.920 --> 00:27:49.119
someone who wanted what every parent wants, a chance to

343
00:27:49.160 --> 00:27:52.839
watch their children grow up. The twin boys had only

344
00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:57.440
begun their lives. They would never celebrate birthdays, never take

345
00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:02.200
first steps, never speak their first words. Their futures were

346
00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:05.400
taken before they had the opportunity to discover who they

347
00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:10.839
might become. Melissa mcgaffe was remembered as a daughter, a sister,

348
00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:15.839
someone whose patience helped hold her family together. Family friend

349
00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:20.400
Jose Hernandez also lost his life that morning. Like every

350
00:28:20.519 --> 00:28:23.319
victim of violence, he was more than a name in

351
00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:27.240
a newspaper. He had people who loved him, people who

352
00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:32.000
expected to see him again. Instead, they found themselves planning

353
00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:35.839
a funeral. That is one of the cruelest realities of violence.

354
00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:41.160
Its impact extends far beyond those directly involved. Every victim

355
00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:47.640
leaves behind parents, friends, co workers, neighbors, entire circles of

356
00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:51.920
people forever changed. Jasmine's survival became one of the few

357
00:28:51.960 --> 00:28:57.000
hopeful stories to emerge from the tragedy. Doctors treated her injuries,

358
00:28:57.559 --> 00:29:02.880
family members rallied around her. Although physically she survived, no

359
00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:07.519
one could erase what had happened. Children process trauma differently

360
00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:12.920
than adults. Some memories remain fragmented, others return years later.

361
00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:17.559
Healing is not measured only by physical recovery. It also

362
00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:22.680
comes through love, stability, patience, and the people willing to

363
00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:26.680
help carry the weight of the unimaginable loss. While the

364
00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:31.799
details of Jasmine's life have remained largely private, and rightfully so,

365
00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:37.039
her survival stands as a reminder of the resilience children

366
00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:43.440
can possess even after enduring extraordinary trauma. Respecting that privacy

367
00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:47.759
is important, she deserves the opportunity to live her life

368
00:29:47.880 --> 00:29:51.119
away from the public attention surrounding the events of two

369
00:29:51.119 --> 00:29:55.119
thousand and seven. Cases like this often leave people searching

370
00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:59.880
for a simple explanation, but violence rarely has simple explanation.

371
00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:05.759
Domestic violence experts has spent decades studying patterns that appear

372
00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:11.960
repeatedly in fatal cases. Many involve escalating control, Many involve

373
00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:16.119
attempts by the victim to leave, Many involve threats that

374
00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:21.839
become increasingly serious, and many occur during or shortly after separation.

375
00:30:22.759 --> 00:30:27.839
Recognizing those patterns does not guarantee prevention, but understanding them

376
00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:33.480
gives communities more opportunities to intervene. Friends who believe a victim,

377
00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:38.160
family members who offer a safe place to stay, employers

378
00:30:38.200 --> 00:30:43.079
who support someone trying to escape abuse, law enforcement officers

379
00:30:43.119 --> 00:30:48.240
who respond quickly, advocates who help create safety plans. Every

380
00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:52.880
one of those actions matter. Sometimes they save lives. When

381
00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:55.960
we talk about crimes like this, it's easy for public

382
00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:59.559
attention to become centered on the person who committed them.

383
00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:05.279
Their names appear in headlines, their photograph is published, their

384
00:31:05.319 --> 00:31:10.119
actions dominate the conversation. But here it's not where the

385
00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:14.279
story should end. The lasting legacy belongs to the victims,

386
00:31:14.599 --> 00:31:19.480
to Nicole, to her children, to Melissa, to jose and

387
00:31:19.559 --> 00:31:22.799
to the little girl who survived. They were not simply

388
00:31:22.920 --> 00:31:26.400
names in a case file. They were people with birthdays,

389
00:31:26.680 --> 00:31:33.720
favorite foods, dreams, inside jokes, family traditions, plans for tomorrow.

390
00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:39.079
Those ordinary pieces of life are what violence steals. Not

391
00:31:39.240 --> 00:31:44.599
just lives, but futures, entire lifetimes of memories that will

392
00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:48.640
never be made. There are no satisfying endings to stories

393
00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:53.680
like this. There is only remembrance. If this episode has

394
00:31:53.759 --> 00:31:58.920
highlighted anything, it's that domestic violence is rarely confined to

395
00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:05.240
private argument behind closed doors. It affects families, children, friends,

396
00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:09.640
entire communities. If you or someone you know is experiencing

397
00:32:09.720 --> 00:32:13.640
domestic violence, reaching out for help can be one of

398
00:32:13.720 --> 00:32:18.039
the most important steps towards safety. Support is available through

399
00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:22.839
local domestic violence organizations and national resources. Thank you for

400
00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:27.319
joining me on this episode of Among Monsters, i'mya Hanson.

401
00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:31.759
Until next time, stay aware, take care of one another,

402
00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:37.759
and remember, sometimes monsters don't hide in the shadows. Sometimes

403
00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:39.799
they walk through the front door.