~~UPDATED INFORMATION~

Our Investigators have spoken to the next of kin of the decedents Joeseph Merrill Ramey, 57, and his son Joeseph James Ramey, 35.
We are withholding the cause of death pending the coroner’s report.

Placerville Police Department Media Release

(PLACERVILLE, CALIFORNIA) Aug 12, 2022 — On August 11, 2022, at 7:12 pm, Placerville Police Dispatch received a call from a concerned citizen in the 3100 block of Wiltse Road, City of Placerville, that there was a suspicious odor coming from his neighbor’s residence and that the neighbor had not been seen in several days.

When Placerville Police Officers arrived at the residence, they confirmed the odor and while looking through a front window of the house, officers were able to see an adult male in the living room with obvious signs of death. As officers entered the house to conduct a check of the interior, a second adult male was located deceased. Speaking with a neighbor, the only people living at the residence are a 57 year old male and his 35 year old adult son.

Currently Placerville Police Department believes this is a murder suicide incident with Initial indicators that the son murdered the father and then took his own life.

Placerville Police Department is being assisted in this investigation by the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Team.

Placerville Police wants to ensure the community that this appears to be an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to public safety. All information at the time of this release is preliminary and could change as the investigation continues. The names of those involved are being withheld at this time.