Sarah Jane Ramey, First-Degree Murder, Washington 2021

TACOMA, WA – Sarah Jane Ramey, 42, will spend the rest of her life behind bars after receiving a sentence exceeding 81 years for a reign of terror that culminated in a fatal New Year’s Eve fire in 2021. The Pierce County Superior Court handed down a 980-month sentence on July 23, following a guilty verdict on charges including first-degree murder and 14 counts of arson.

The fires, stretching from December 2021 to January 2022, plagued the Tacoma area, but it was the December 31st blaze that claimed the life of James Elliott, the homeowner, that became the focal point of a complex investigation. Ramey was also convicted of burglary, identity theft, and theft of a motor vehicle, solidifying her status as a dangerous and calculating criminal.

While local authorities initially investigated the fires, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) stepped in early 2022, offering crucial support to the Tacoma Police and Fire Departments. ATF’s Certified Fire Investigators (CFIs) quickly determined that the New Year’s Eve fire, initially thought to be accidental, was, in fact, intentionally set – an incendiary act. This shift in determination proved pivotal in building a case against Ramey.

The ATF deployed a significant team to Tacoma, including multiple Special Agents, two electrical engineers, and a fire protection engineer from their Fire Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. Their expertise allowed investigators to meticulously trace Ramey to multiple fire scenes, ultimately linking her to Elliott’s home and leading to her arrest in February 2022. The level of resources brought to bear by the ATF, agents stated, far exceeded what local departments could muster independently.

“This significant sentencing was a direct result of ATF’s training, skill and determination,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Our involvement was directly driven by our agents’ desire to make our communities safer. We have resources that even the largest fire departments don’t have, and we can deploy them to a scene in a very short amount of time.”

While the sentence provides little solace for the loss of James Elliott, authorities hope it will offer a degree of closure to his family and the Tacoma community. Ramey’s 980-month sentence ensures she will remain incarcerated for the vast majority of her life, a grim consequence for a string of deliberate and devastating acts of arson and ultimately, murder.

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