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  queen creek cops frame man for murder. but justice is served when video tapes surface showing the man acted in self defense.

Original Article

Man to go free; police call killing self-defense

Josh Kelley The Arizona Republic Oct. 5, 2005 12:00 AM

A video recording has revealed that the man accused of killing 20-year-old Ramon Munguia Ramon early Sunday morning east of Queen Creek was acting in self-defense, police said Tuesday.

Vladimir E. Lizarraga,18, who has already been indicted in the slaying of Ramon, was to be freed from jail as soon as a court order could be obtained for his release, Pinal County Sheriff's Office spokesman Mike Minter said late Tuesday afternoon.

Ramon, who was a grounds-maintenance worker for the town of Queen Creek, died after being stabbed in the left side of his chest while in the parking lot of a Chevron gas station, according to a Sheriff's Office report.

The station is at Ironwood and Ocotillo roadsin Pinal County just outside Queen Creek.

The stabbing occurred during a dispute in which about 12 people were reportedly fighting around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday before fleeing, the report said.

A camera at the station recorded the altercation and showed that Lizarraga was acting in self-defense, Minter said.