Who Was Karlyn Ramirez & What Happened to Her? 2025 Update & Background

Karlyn Serane Ramirez grew up in Del Rio, Texas, in a family with strong military roots. Her mother and aunt had both served, and that example shaped her sense of purpose. After earning an associate’s degree, she decided the United States Army would offer structure, opportunity, and a way to contribute to something greater than herself. Friends and relatives remembered a young woman focused on working hard and building a future.

Her dedication carried her overseas. While stationed in South Korea in 2013, she met fellow soldier Sergeant Maliek Kearney. He was older, decorated, and experienced. Their relationship moved quickly. Karlyn became pregnant, and the couple prepared to start a family. By the time their daughter was born in April 2015, both believed they were committing to a shared life, even as distance and duty assignments complicated their plans.

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• Who Is Dolores Delgado & Where Is She Now? 2025 Update & Background

Marriage Under Strain

After the birth, the Army assigned Karlyn to Fort Meade in Maryland and assigned Kearney to Fort Jackson in South Carolina. The long-distance marriage soon showed strain. Investigators would later learn about conflicts, controlling behavior, and growing concern within Karlyn’s circle. The Army issued a protective order prohibiting contact between the two after reports of problems in the relationship.

Karlyn continued to balance motherhood and service while preparing for a legal and emotional separation. Those close to her described resolve and determination. She worked to remain focused on her daughter and her career. The separation created tension, but no one anticipated the level of danger forming around her.

The Night of the Murder

On August 25, 2015, a maintenance worker noticed Karlyn’s back door open at her Severn, Maryland townhouse. Police responding to the scene found Karlyn shot three times at close range. Her four-month-old daughter rested in her arms, alive. There were no signs of forced entry. Investigators suspected staging after discovering her clothing had been pulled down. An autopsy confirmed there had been no sexual assault.

Attention soon turned to Kearney. He claimed to have been at home in South Carolina, alone. His phone data appeared to place him there. Digital forensic review, however, revealed the use of a data-wiping application and repeated contact with a woman named Dolores Delgado, his longtime girlfriend. What looked like a distant alibi began to unravel.

The Plot Revealed

Investigators traced a .357 revolver to Delgado. Evidence showed she had purchased the weapon and provided it to Kearney. She also lent her vehicle so he could travel from South Carolina to Maryland without drawing attention. She remained at his apartment, used his phone, and streamed media to create the appearance that he never left.

According to court testimony, Kearney entered the townhouse with a key, confronted Karlyn, and shot her. He then staged the scene and placed their infant in her arms before driving back to South Carolina. Delgado and an associate later disposed of the gun and other items in a Florida waterway. Federal divers recovered the weapon, and ballistic testing matched it to the murder.

Arrests, Trial, and Sentencing

Authorities arrested Kearney and Delgado in October 2016 in Texas. Delgado cooperated, confessed, and testified against Kearney. In August 2018, a federal jury found Kearney guilty of interstate travel to commit domestic violence resulting in death, along with related firearms charges. In November 2018, a federal judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole, plus additional time for the firearms offense. He was also ordered to pay restitution exceeding four hundred ninety thousand dollars.

Delgado received a 17-year sentence for her role after pleading guilty. Court statements detailed careful planning, deception, and a staged murder scene intended to mislead investigators. The case closed with recognition that coordination among local police, Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the FBI had been decisive.

Legacy and Impact

Karlyn’s daughter now lives with maternal relatives. Family members continue to honor Karlyn’s memory, reflecting on a young soldier who wanted to serve, raise her child, and build a stable life. The crime forced conversations inside the military about domestic violence, support systems, and risk warning signs.

The name Karlyn Ramirez has since come to represent both loss and perseverance. Investigators, prosecutors, and family members carried the case forward until a verdict was reached. The outcome delivered accountability, yet the focus remains on the life that was lost, the child who survived, and the responsibility institutions hold when abuse intersects with service.