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PARK CITY — The last two years have been hard for the family of John Krieg, his brother said Friday before the man who killed his brother was sentenced to prison.
James Kip Ramsdell, 60, of Park City, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter, a second-degree felony, as part of a plea deal last month that the family objected to. He was originally charged with murder, a first-degree felony.
Sam Krieg said the family still thinks his actions constituted murder.
"Everybody knows it's first-degree murder; he acted with malice. In my heart, and I think somewhere in his heart, he straight up knows he murdered my brother," Krieg said.
On Oct. 7, 2021, John Krieg, 50, was shot and killed by his landlord and roommate in the Highland Estates area of Summit County.
Third District Judge Richard Mrazik sentenced Ramsdell to a term of one and 15 years in the Utah State Prison.
"Mr. Ramsdell, the bottom line is you made a terrible choice to combine alcohol, a firearm and an argument with another human being, and in so doing you took the life of an innocent man," he said. "We simply cannot have this in our community."
Ramsdell rented his basement to Krieg and two other tenants, and one of those tenants said he heard Ramsdell and Krieg arguing that night. The tenant heard a gun fire about 1 a.m. and found Ramsdell with a gunshot wound in his hand, according to charging documents. Police say Ramsdell reported he "might've shot himself."
Later that night, the tenant reported Ramsdell had said, "We need to ... kill him" in reference to Krieg. That morning Ramsdell and Krieg were arguing on the front porch when Ramsdell instructed the tenant to go back inside, then Ramsdell entered the home without Kreig and told the tenant he didn't know where Krieg was, the charges say.
The tenant found Krieg and determined he was dead, but Ramsdell told him not to call police and court documents indicate he did not call out of fear of Ramsdell. About 6:50 a.m, a woman found Krieg's body and called police. Ramsdell was located inside the house and was "heavily intoxicated."
Initially, Ramsdell claimed to know nothing about the body in front of his house, but then stated, "Maybe I killed him. I don't know," according to the charges. Later, he told officers he could not have shot Kreig.
Sam Krieg said the family plans to explain to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole that Ramsdell should serve the maximum sentence possible — "an inexpensive price for my brother's life." He said Ramsdell was using alcohol as an alibi and using that to allow him to lie to his lawyer, and maybe himself about what happened.
Deputy Summit County attorney Joseph Hill argued that prison is the only appropriate sentence when a life is taken "in a senseless, stupid act." He said it would not be fair for Krieg's family if Ramsdell were released while they were still alive to see it, although he understands that is a possibility.
Defense attorney Clifford Venable asked the judge for a sentence of one additional year in jail, for a total of about three years, and 60 months of probation.
"Not because that's going to keep the community safer, but because that is what's just when a life is taken," he said.
Ramsdell told the judge he is "very sorry" about what happened and his heart "goes out to the family." He said he was friends with Krieg and they "had a good time that night," but does not remember what happened after he got shot in the hand.
"If I could go back in time to change anything, change the outcome, I would — but what's done I can't take back," Ramsdell said.
Krieg talked Friday about going through his brother's belongings and realizing his brother still had dreams. He said his brother in October 2021 was ready for the next ski season, and they found a rolling bag "organized to perfection" with supplies for the slopes.
"All of John's dreams died that day," Krieg said.
He said anyone else in the courtroom would have called 911 and tried to save his brother's life, while Ramsdell did the "exact opposite."
"This didn't have to happen," he said.
John Krieg's parents, who live in Iowa, filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Ramsdell on Oct. 4, claiming that as their son's landlord and as an individual, he breached standards of care that would have protected their son.
