STILLWATER, Minn. -- A St. Paul man who reportedly “hated” one of his co-workers brought a knife to his Bailey Nurseries job and stabbed the man to death, according to a criminal charge filed Friday.
Washington County prosecutors charged Gregorio Maso-Ramirez, 57, with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Uriel N. Ortiz, 44, on Thursday at the Newport nursery.
According to the criminal complaint, Maso-Ramirez had a conversation Thursday with a Bailey employee about a worker’s compensation claim he planned to file. That employee later told investigators that she knew Maso-Ramirez “hated” Ortiz.
Police responding to a 911 call at about 3:40 p.m. found Ortiz in a pool of blood and unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Maso-Ramirez turned himself in to St. Paul police. He had a large cut on his right hand and was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul for treatment. Authorities later took him to the Washington County jail.
In an interview with investigators, Maso-Ramirez said he brought a knife to work with plans to “do something” to Ortiz. Maso-Ramirez admitted stabbing Ortiz, the complaint said.
Bailey Nurseries said in a statement Friday that Ortiz was a father, husband, friend and co-worker. Ortiz lived in Fridley.
