Mon. Dec 2nd, 2024

By Donna Westfall – June 23, 2017 – Due to illness, I missed Thursday’s, June 22nd, court session.  I understand that the defense had a telephonic expert witness, and Bryan Ranger took the stand. Without being there, I’d have to check the transcripts to find out exactly what was said.

Let’s now backtrack and look at  Judy Ranger‘s testimony which started off with her describing her background. This is not for children’s eyes.  This is the stuff that books and movies are made of.  She lived primarily with her father, an alcohol and drug abuser as well as an abusive man. Her mother faked her own death when Judy was six years old.  Judy was in and out of six foster homes and suffered abuse at the hands of several.  She was raped multiple times including by Russell Walters, a serial killer rapist. She testified in that case and he was incarcerated for 10 years.  When he got out, he proceeded to pick up where he left off.  She agreed once more to testify against him in 2016.  I know that because I was there when detectives flew up from from Los Angeles and met with Judy in her apartment on “C” Street.

Back to her foster home experience; one was a Christian home.  She went back to that home when she was an older teenager and it helped to turn her life around because between being shuttled between her father, foster homes, and running away, her life was a disaster. Barely able to complete the 8th grade, her schooling was incomplete. She battled alcoholism and kicked it.  Once she returned to the Christian foster home, they got her on SSI.  She completed her high school degree at the age of 24. She swore to herself she would never be abused again.

That’s when she met Bryan Ranger in Santa Cruz. She actually met Bryan on three separate occasions.  They had Christianity in common. He drove to Pennsylvania while Judy flew there to spend time in a Mennonite-like community. They liked the values of that community. They got married there in 1995 and she got pregnant right away.  She was 26 and he was 44 years old.  Their first child, Mercy, was born on December 11, 1995.

In day two of Judy’s testimony, she tried to say that papers were given to Bryan to sign over guardianship of Mercy to Sasha Upton and if he didn’t, then he would go to jail.  This is called, in my book anyway, attempted blackmail.  But when Judy tried to explain further that Marcus Nash called to demand the same thing, her testimony was cut off by the prosecution.

On April 25, 2017, Judy went before the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors telling of her Orwellian nightmare.  I don’t know why this attempted blackmail issue was not brought out in court.  I saw documentation in the files including the Declarations by Judy and Bryan Ranger.  They were handed to Social Worker, Georgia England, that documented the attempts by friends of Sasha and Earl Upton, Walter Throop, as well as Sasha’s son, Marcus Nash, that if Bryan and Judy did not sign over guardianship of Mercy to Sasha, then Bryan would go to jail. Mercy would make sexual allegations.  But if he signed the guardianship paperwork, all charges would be dropped.

I’m wondering WHY none of this made it to trial.  There were declarations and witnesses that were willing to come forward but the defense did not request them.   Here is Judy’s 3 minute public comment to the Board of Supervisors dated April 25, 2017.

Today, Friday, June 23rd, court starts at 10:30 am.  Each side will make their closing arguments.  Then the case goes to the jury.

7 thoughts on “Day 4: Bryan Ranger “Sex Abuse” Trial Part 2”
  1. I am saying my name is Russell Walters. I was born here in Crescent City and have lived here for 60 years. I see the name Russell Walters in your article and people are thinking this is me. I want you to make a clarification. On your article in regards to my name. I have a son that is a junior. Please straighten it up. My name is Russell Herman Walters senior. I see there are two Russell Walters

    I am Russell Herman Walters senior and have nothing to do with this article other than it is associated to my name. Please straighten this up
    People can be killed for this kind of stuff and people need to know that is not me.

    1. This discrepancy was brought to our attention today. We regret any problems associated with the article and Mr. Walters
      of Crescent City. He is not the person referred to in the article.

  2. Nope
    The Sheriff’s Dept would not let me get a copy of the report of the allegations of rape I thought they filed for me.
    I guess it’s ok to commit felonies against me, to try to rape and rob me, and steal all my tools and assault my daughter every night as she comes home from work at 11pm.
    I had to leave my home and everything because no restraining order is going to protect me going to have to work harder to press charges when people try to rape and rob me.
    I’m going to have to make multiple reports, but my daughter is held hostage too,

    So if they don’t take my word then why are they trying to put her father in prison for life on just her word?
    They need more evidence to give him more years than a cold blooded killer “Mr Miller.”

  3. Oh yes, read the transcripts,
    Let us know if they have any evidence that can’t be fabricated.
    Because I haven’t seen anything but the word of a teenager who is wanting to get rich.

    They didn’t go on my word that Mercy Ranger’s lover “Mark Nash” came over to my house and got naked and grabbed my hand and put it on his thing to try and force me to have sex with him, trying for hours. I was warned not to tell but after being traumatized by that I can see how he could have easily seduced Mercy Ranger if she was in love with and sneaking up tp his room.

    And then he tells me that he still loves his wife and how he can’t see his daughter.
    Being in love with someone who would rather be with someone else is the reason many teens commit suicide.
    I’m not surprised Mercy had sexual relations with him and that she was real hurt when he didn’t love her like a young virgin deserves.

  4. don’t bother checking the transcripts because you always manage to distort the truth in hopes to get pity for this pedophile and his wife. I am glad the trial is over and personally hope you can move on with better articles.

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