Portsmouth Murder Victim Suffered from Domestic Violence Before, Police Say

Portsmouth police arrested 50-year-old Raymond Ramsey for murdering a 42-year-old woman in an apartment at 100 Almedia Terrace on Tuesday night.

Portsmouth Police Chief Thomas Lee said at a Wednesday press conference that Ramsey was arrested after an officer responding to a noise complaint arrived to find the victim dead from multiple stab wounds.

It was a horrific scene, Lee said, and the rookie officer, Kyle Hurley, was able to take Ramsey into custody without incident.

Police were dispatched to the apartment at around 10:38 p.m., Lee said. Ramsey was transported to Rhode Island Hospital for non-life threatening injuries and is due to be arraigned later today on charges of domestic murder and violating a domestic no-contact order.

Ramsey and the victim were described as having an on-again, off-again relationship. Police had responded to domestic incidents several times in the past and Ramsey was arrested for domestic assault and battery just three months ago, which led to the no-contact order being issued.

He was out on bail at the time of the victim’s murder.

“It shows the tragedy of these types of cases,” Lee said. “I think it goes to the nature of domestic violence -- Portsmouth is a quiet community, a low crime community.”

The first responding officer, Hurley, graduated from the state municipal police academy in May and has been working alone for just about a month.

“He deserves credit,” Lee said. “He basically walked into this and was able to take control of the situation and make the arrest.”