Glove from MacDill AFB pointed police toward double-murder defendant

Police believe former Air Force Sgt. Ralph "Ron" Wright Jr. strangled his former lover barehanded, killed their 15-month-old child and then put on a pair of gloves from MacDill Air Force Base to avoid leaving fingerprints in her St. Petersburg home, according to police records made public today.

One of the black gloves -- the left one -- turned up on the arm of a couch near the front door of the murder scene. It was apparently left behind in the killer's haste, according to the affidavit from St. Petersburg police Detective Karl Sauer and state attorney's investigator Steve Porter.

Forensic tests found DNA samples inside the glove that matched the victims, Paula O'Connor and her son Alijah, the affidavit states. However, the investigators wrote, the DNA tests found nothing in the glove that matched Wright, who was arrested last week after a grand jury indicted him for the two murders.

But the glove "is identifical to a small number of gloves issued to the defendant's military police unit," they wrote, and the gloves were kept in a locked storeroom at the base that Wright had access to. Security video showed Wright visited that area of the base about 2 a.m. on July 6, 2007, about three to four hours before the murders, the affidavit states.

Craig Pittman, Times staff writer

Comments

[Bobcat]

dirt bag needs to serve life so he can suffer for along time knowing he wont go free dont just execute him thats to easy

[Chris]

Bobcat, these folks don't suffer in prison. They have it too easy there. Three hot meals a day, TV, recreation and even a chance to work for good behavior. Someone like him should be stoned to death!

[Carlos]

This is so sad. This guy needs to pay dearly for what he did to the woman and her precious child. I dont see how someone could kill there own child. Its very,very,very sad.
Bobcat he wont do any work. He'll be put in a 6x9 cell and stay there 23hrs a day by himself. No T.V. !! But I agree with you they need to throw him out of a helicopter over shark infested waters..

[Bobcat]

scum bag needs to serve life so he can suffer for along time knowing he wont go free dont just execute him thats to easy

[flanygal]

Killing your own flesh and blood to save a few bucks.
In the right prison these guys DO SUFFER. My friends brother is a sex offender. He went to state prison healthy, came out, toothless, smashed knees, ripped rectum, healing from smashed ribs, plus he is now schitzo due to being randomly awaken and gang raped. Sure bet aids will show up soon.
Guys that committ crimes on women and children do not make out any better. BUBBA doesn't share the tv or feel bad about anything.
DISGUSTING BUT TRUE

[flanygal]

I wonder how many other deaths he is responsible for? Hard to believe he hasn't done this before....