Prison inmate convicted of 1985 murder of Guerneville man denied parole once again

Inmate Vernon Bragg, now 70 years old of Dallas Texas, was denied parole yesterday by the California State Board of Parole Hearings following an afternoon hearing held at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville. In 1985, Bragg was convicted of murder for the shooting and killing of Ray Rasmussen of Guerneville. Following the murder, Bragg was sentenced to an indeterminate life sentence in state prison. 

District Attorney Rodriguez stated, “We are thankful that the Board came to the same conclusion that we reached regarding this inmate, and that is that he would continue to pose an unreasonable threat to the community if he were to be released at this time. Parole is not guaranteed to an individual serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole, and this individual has simply not done the work necessary to demonstrate his commitment to remaining crime free.”

The charges resulted from a verbal disagreement between Rasmussen and a third party at a house in Guerneville. Bragg, who had previously been uninvolved in the disagreement, stepped in, pushed Rasmussen to the ground, and shot and killed him. Bragg and a co-participant then removed Rasmussen’s body from the scene of the crime and buried him under a different, unoccupied local house where he remained unlocated for more than two years. Bragg has been before the Parole Board numerous times since he first became eligible. Nevertheless, the Board issued a denial for an additional 3 years as it concluded following the hearing that he continues to pose an unreasonable risk of harm to public safety.

The parole hearing was attended by Deputy District Attorney Juliette Hyde, a District Attorney Advocate, and members of Mr. Rasmussen’s family.

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