Watertown man pleads guilty to murder

A former Watertown man admitted Monday in Jefferson County Court that he strangled his girlfriend to death and disposed of her body in a suitcase in 2008.

Ramon A. Robles-Ruiz, 30, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the Dec. 8, 2008, death of Annette Y. Vazquez, 33.

Robles-Ruiz admitted, through a Spanish interpreter that he strangled Ms. Vazquez following an argument at his apartment in Watertown. He could not recall the address where the killing occurred.

He also told Judge Kim H. Martusewicz that he put Ms. Vazquez’s body into a suitcase and left it in a ditch, although he did not know the exact location. Ms. Vazquez's remains were found March 23 in a ditch off Vrooman Hill Road in the town of Antwerp.

Robles-Ruiz is expected to be sentenced May 10 to 20 years to life in state prison.