Rosa Leyva was 61 years old and had reached a difficult decision: her son could no longer continue living in her home.
Ronald Joseph Kirk, 38, shared her small house in Gladstone, Oregon. According to prosecutors, Rosa had grown exhausted by his drug and alcohol use, explosive temper, and increasingly disturbing behavior. She had begun the process of evicting him.
The situation had reportedly become dangerous long before her death.
About a month before the crime, Kirk left a voicemail in which he claimed his mother was possessed by demons. He also said that the previous day he had nearly put a bullet in her head.
Witnesses later described him during the trial as volatile and dangerous, frequently appearing drunk or under the influence of methamphetamine.
On November 26, 2024, Rosa failed to show up for work and stopped answering calls. Concerned, Gladstone police officers went to her home to check on her.
Kirk answered the door and told officers that his mother was inside and had been unconscious for approximately 24 hours.
When officers entered the house, they found Rosa sitting at the dining table in front of her laptop. Her body was covered with pillowcases, and she had suffered a single gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators later established that Kirk was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his previous criminal record.
He was found guilty of second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The court sentenced him to life in prison, with a minimum of 25 years to be served before he can become eligible for parole.
During the sentencing hearing, Rosa’s sister, Michelle Guzman, spoke about the devastating impact of the loss on their family.
She said the previous two years had been the hardest period of their lives.
The case had involved multiple warning signs, including reported threats, escalating behavior, and a growing conflict over Rosa’s decision to remove her son from her home.
Her death left her family with a painful question: How many warning signs had to appear before someone could intervene and prevent this tragedy?
