Suspects enter pleas in Cranmer murder case 

By JULIE RAEFIELD-GOBBO
News staff writer

Two women charged for their alleged involvement with the September 2009 robbery and murder of Hood River hotel owner Jerry Cranmer have entered differing pleas for the charges against them, according to Hood River District Attorney John Sewell.

On Dec. 16, in a one-hour proceeding before Hood River Circuit Court Judge Paul Crowley, defendants Claudia Delores Escoto and Marlene Zarate, both of White Salmon, Wash., were present to enter pleas. Families of the defendants and the victim were also in attendance at the proceedings.

Appearing dressed in street clothes, Escoto, 20, pleaded guilty to charges of robbery in the first degree and murder.

Judge Paul Crowley sentenced her for the robbery conviction based on her guilty plea, to serve 90 months in prison, undergo 36 months of post-prison supervision and pay $3,600 in restitution as partial compensation for losses sustained during the robbery and uncovered funeral costs. 

The location of her incarceration will be determined by the Oregon Department of Corrections.

Escoto’s murder conviction is being held in abeyance with sentence not yet imposed, pending Escoto’s potential cooperation in the prosecution of the two additional defendants charged in the case. If sentencing is imposed for the murder charge, Escoto will face 25 years of imprisonment.

Under the recently passed Oregon Ballot Measure 11, the sentences issued in Escoto’s case will not be eligible for early release. She will, however, receive credit for time already served in jail. 

Escoto was accompanied by her attorney, Andrew Elliott of Oregon City, and made no comment on her own behalf.

Escoto was convicted for driving the car involved in the case to and from the Vagabond Motel and laying by, when the robbery and murder took place.

Sewell declined to offer public comment prior to Escoto’s sentencing due to the pending related cases.

Just before Crowley’s issuance of sentence, an impact statement was made by Mary Gumm, longtime friend to the slain Cranmer, and Vagabond Motel neighboring business owner of White Buffalo Wines.

Gumm reflected on the generous and kind character of Cranmer and the great loss to the community on his demise. She also noted that Cranmer’s son, Charlie, just 17 at the time of the murder, has been deprived of his beloved father.

Following Gumm’s statement, Crowley issued his sentence for Escoto and proceeded to the second defendant in the case.

Zarate, 21, remained seated in the jury box throughout Escoto’s entry of plea and sentencing.  She was dressed in bright orange prison garb and secured with chains.

Zarate was charged with murder, two counts of robbery in the first degree and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon. She entered a plea of not guilty through her attorneys, Christopher Howard and Bryan Francesconi of Portland.

In a planned conference call on Dec. 27, Crowley, Sewell and Zarate’s attorneys agreed to set a trial date for Zarate.

Cranmer, who was 54 at the time of his death, was shot and killed in the front office of the Vagabond Lodge during a robbery shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 09, 2009. A small amount of cash was later found missing from the hotel’s cash register.

Numerous law enforcement agencies worked with Hood River County Sheriff Detectives Matt English and Gerry Tiffany on the murder investigation.   

Sewell confirmed that neither the robbery nor murder were gang-related.

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The third suspect in the case, Jairo A. Vicente, 23, of White Salmon, was not present during these proceedings.

He will enter his plea to charges of two counts of aggravated murder, one count of felony murder and one count of felony robbery, on Jan. 25 at 11 a.m. in front of Crowley.