Ramirez’s childhood was characterized by trauma, instability, and early neurological injury. As a young child, he suffered two major head injuries, one at age two when a dresser fell on him and another at age five when he was knocked unconscious by a swing. Following these injuries, he reportedly experienced seizures and was later diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy (Britannica, 2025). His home environment was violent and fear-based, with a father known for extreme physical abuse. Emotional warmth and consistent caregiving were largely absent.
During late childhood and early adolescence, Ramirez began withdrawing socially and using drugs, including marijuana and inhalants. A major developmental influence was his older cousin, Miguel Ramirez, a Vietnam War veteran who exposed him to graphic images and stories of wartime violence. Around age fifteen, Ramirez witnessed Miguel shoot and kill his wife, an event Ramirez reportedly found fascinating rather than disturbing. These experiences contributed to emotional detachment, desensitization to violence, and disrupted moral development during critical formative years (Sommerlad, 2023).