A Portland man who fatally shot an acquaintance and injured another during a drug-related confrontation has admitted guilt and expressed deep remorse for his actions.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Estavan Ramirez, 32 — whose name also appears as “Estabon” in court documents — pleaded guilty on October 30 to first-degree manslaughter in the death of Anthony Garland, 44. The shooting occurred on September 10, 2024, outside the Louisa Flowers Apartments on Northeast Sixth Avenue near Hassalo Street.
The Louisa Flowers Apartments, owned by Home Forward, has seen its share of violence in recent years. In September, a 25-year-old man was found dead outside the building, and a 2020 Christmas morning double shooting inside the complex left one person dead and another wounded.
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Deadly Encounter
According to court records, Garland and his friend Timothy Kinnard were sitting in a pickup truck outside the apartment building around 5:30 p.m. when they encountered Ramirez. Kinnard reportedly offered to share some drugs with him.
Moments later, for reasons that remain unclear, Ramirez became enraged and pulled out a gun, shooting Garland once in the chest. He then fled into the apartment tower, where he and his girlfriend had been staying temporarily. Ramirez changed his clothes in an attempt to disguise himself.
However, the effort proved futile. Surveillance footage and witness testimony quickly identified him by his street nickname, “Chico Bean.”
Courtroom Apology
Standing before Multnomah County Circuit Judge Christopher Ramras, Ramirez expressed regret for his actions.
“I do not feel good about what I did. I messed up big time,” he told the court. “I will be working on becoming a better person, and when I do get out — no, not hopefully — I will be different.”
Background and Defense
Ramirez’s defense attorney, Tristen Edwards, described his client’s troubled past, explaining that Ramirez suffered from childhood abuse, became homeless during middle school, and later fell into drug addiction. Edwards said those hardships shaped the path that ultimately led to the shooting.
Remembering Anthony Garland
Family members and loved ones described Garland as a kind, soft-spoken man with big dreams when he moved to Portland. His mother, Cheryl Garland, shared a tearful statement during the hearing, expressing the depth of her loss.
“This crime has given me a life sentence of sorrow,” she said.
Garland’s relatives and friends remembered him as someone who cared deeply for others and was working toward rebuilding his life.
A Community Impacted by Violence
The Louisa Flowers Apartments and the surrounding neighborhood have struggled with repeated incidents of gun violence, reflecting broader challenges across Portland in recent years. The tragic death of Anthony Garland serves as another painful reminder of the toll substance abuse and community instability can take.
As Ramirez begins his prison sentence, both families are left grappling with grief, regret, and the lasting consequences of a moment’s rage.
