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Second person charged in connection with shooting death of McKees Rocks man

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Police said a second person is being charged in connection with the death of a McKees Rocks man whose body was found in Washington County.

Lauren O’Connor, 22, is charged with conspiracy to commit homicide in connection with the death of Ryan Ramirez, 21. Kristopher Lott is charged with criminal homicide, kidnapping, robbery and abuse of a corpse.

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Ramirez’s family told Channel 11 that their son was dating O’Connor and that she is Lott’s ex-girlfriend.

According to the coroner, Ramirez's body was found in a wooded area off of Steubenville Pike in Hanover Township.

She said he was high on prescription painkillers and heroin, and testified she had no involvement in the killing of Ramirez, who she said was her good friend.

O’Connor told the court that the incident started when she and Lott decided to get high on painkillers. She said she texted Ramirez because she knew he would be able to get them Percocet. She said she picked Ramirez up at his home around 11 a.m. on Aug. 22, then they drove to Moon Township and bought Percocet from an unnamed person.

O’Connor said she told Ramirez she was scared of Lott because he had threatened to kill her family. Knowing how nervous she was to be alone with Lott, Ramirez offered to go with her to meet Lott and give him the drugs. Until that point, Lott and Ramirez had never met.

According to her testimony, O’Connor and Ramirez met Lott at Settlers Cabin Park in Robinson Township. She said Lott had a gun and instantly acted aggressively with Ramirez, demanding money. Ramirez gave Lott his wallet and offered to go to the bank and withdraw more. O’Connor said the trio then drove to an ATM, where Ramirez emptied his bank account. At that time, O’Connor said she and Lott injected heroin.

O’Connor said she got in the backseat of the car, while Lott was driving and Ramirez was in the front passenger seat. She said Ramirez pleaded with Lott to let him go, but Lott refused. The two men continued to argue on the drive, and Lott struck Ramirez in the head with his gun, O’Connor said.

She testified that Lott pulled over on the side of the road and ordered Ramirez out of the car and into the woods. She said she heard one gunshot, then Lott ran back to the car alone. According to O’Connor, she and Lott then drove to Burkett Field in Robinson Township, where Lott told O’Connor to get a bag and put Ramirez’s belongings in there.

O’Connor said she returned home and argued with her parents about being with Lott. She said she injected more heroin, then left her house against her parent wishes. She said she met back up with Lott around midnight.

The two were approached by Robinson Township police, who were responding to a suspicious person call as they walked along Lake Steuben Drive. When O’Connor opened the duffel bag to get her ID, the police officer allegedly noticed numerous syringes, empty bags used to package heroin, ammunition and a handgun. The two were immediately arrested.

It was not until one to two days later when O’Connor came forward and took police to Ramirez’s body.

O’Conner is being held at the Allegheny County Jail awaiting arraignment on the charge.