Man who plotted to have his mother-in-law beaten to death in Long Beach sentenced

A Monterey County man convicted on multiple felony counts in plot to kill his mother-in-law was sentenced to 31 years to life in state prison Friday moing.

Frank Haverly, 42, and his wife, 43-year-old Holly Ramos, were convicted in December of conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and home invasion robbery after they hired Keith Phillips, 52, to drive from Monterey County to Long Beach to kill Ramos’ mother in October 2013.

Phillips was sentenced to 10 years in state prison in February after being convicted of home invasion robbery. Ramos’ sentencing is scheduled for April 7.

A brutal beating

The three were arrested in November 2013 after a police investigation concluded that Ramos and Haverly hired Phillips to rob and kill Ramos’ mother, Elizabeth Wells, 69. Phillips gave his real name when he went to visit Wells at her home on Oct. 11, 2013, telling her he was a social worker from Monterey doing a home inspection.

As they went upstairs, Phillips struck her on the head twice when her back was tued during a tour of the home, according to prosecutors.

Police said that officers found the severely beaten woman after responding to a report of a person screaming near 69th Place and Ocean Boulevard on the Long Beach Peninsula.

A ‘day of reckoning’

In addition to the 31-year sentence, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark C. Kim ordered Haverly to pay $14,207.84 restitution, plus 10 percent interest. Kim also granted him about two and a half years of credit for time Haverly has already served.

Though Haverly was convicted of attempted murder, Kim halted the 15-year-to-life sentence on that count on the condition that he successfully serves his sentence on the two other counts and completes parole.

Greg Woolley, Wells’ husband, gave a statement in court Friday moing, calling Haverly a cowardly bully and a lazy man who leeched off others’ kindness.

“Hi, Frank, here we are at last — your day of reckoning,” Woolley said. “I leave you now to your appeals and your jailhouse Jesus. I wish you a long life.”

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