Four co-defendants have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their involvement in the 2020 murders of 73-year-old Joanna Gormly and 71-year-old Ted Ralston.
On May 17, 2020, both victims were killed inside their Key Peninsula-area residence before their home was set on fire to cover up the crime.
Over the course of the investigation, our detectives determined that the victim’s live-in grandson and several friends plotted to kill his grandparents so they could set up some type of commune on the victims’ waterfront property in Vaughn. Detectives conducted numerous interviews, executed multiple search warrants, and examined a large amount of evidence to identify the four suspects involved in the murders.
All four suspects have either pleaded guilty or were convicted by a jury.
A jury convicted 29-year-old Ezra Fleming Ralston of two counts of aggravated murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and arson in the first degree. He received a mandatory sentence of life without parole.
A jury convicted 26-year-old Sean Higgins of two counts of aggravated murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He received a mandatory sentence of life without parole.
Spencer Kleine, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in the first degree and was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Rebecka Neubauer, 25, pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and conspiracy to commit murder. She was sentenced to 33 years and 4 four months in prison.