Tuesday, 28 July 2026, 3:46
A quiet Monday night in Ramona turned deadly when deputies discovered two people shot to death inside a home on the 600 block of 11th Street, a couple of blocks north of H Street. A suspect was found waiting at the residence and taken into custody without incident.
According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm at approximately 8:44 p.m. on July 6, 2026. Upon arrival, they found Ryan Wesley Proffitt, a 33-year-old Escondido resident, sitting on the steps of the home drinking a beer. He was detained peacefully. “The suspect was waiting for deputies when they responded,” said Lt. Aloha Peters in a news release. Proffitt had called 911 just before 8:45 p.m., said he had been in a “lover’s quarrel” and that two people were dead. He supplied the address but declined to give his name, according to Deputy District Attorney Miriam Shoval. The Sheriff’s Office said deputies arrived at the scene within four minutes.
Inside, deputies located a man and a woman suffering from significant traumatic injuries. Despite life-saving efforts, both were pronounced dead at the scene. The victims were identified Friday as Ramona resident Courtney Chandler, 28, and San Diego County resident Nicholas McClure, 32. Chandler was a U.S. Navy seaman who for the last year had been assigned to the USS John L. Canley, which is based in San Diego. She enlisted in the Navy in January 2025. Proffitt has been booked into San Diego Central Jail on two counts of murder. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on Thursday at the East County Superior Court in El Cajon. Online jail records indicate he remains jailed without bail. During the court appearance, a prosecutor described the killings as stemming from a “lovers' quarrel.” Superior Court Judge Peter Lynch granted the prosecution’s request that Proffitt be jailed without bail.
Ramona, a community in San Diego County, is typically a low-crime area. The incident occurred at the Ramona Vista Military Housing Complex on 11th Street, raising concern among locals. However, authorities stress that this appears to be an isolated event and that there is no known threat to the broader public.
Violent crime in Ramona is rare. The last high-profile homicide in the area occurred several years ago. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Homicide Unit is leading the investigation, which is standard for such cases in unincorporated county areas.
Multiple sources said Proffitt and the two victims may have been in a polyamorous relationship. Shawn Mattson, a high school friend of Proffitt's, said he learned in the wake of the incident that Proffitt was dating the female victim, while she may have also been dating the male victim. Deputies have not confirmed these details. Mattson described Proffitt as "a really nice guy" in high school, upbeat and outgoing, and said he was disgusted to hear the news.
According to Shoval, Proffitt told detectives that he and Chandler had been in a relationship for about 14 months, but had decided about a month and a half ago to open their relationship. The prosecutor said Proffitt alleged Chandler started dating McClure — who Proffitt alleged was homeless — and that she brought McClure home to stay with the two of them. Shoval said Proffitt was jealous and “started to feel that he had been thrown aside.” That evening, the prosecutor said, all three were in the apartment when Proffitt “became upset because he felt he was being disrespected and unappreciated in the relationship.” She said he told deputies he went to his room, loaded a handgun and walked back out holding the gun tucked behind his leg to hide it as he confronted the two. When asked why he hid it from view, she said he told them that if the conversation went well, he would return the gun to the room. And, she said, Proffitt added, “Of course, (the) conversation was not going to go right, I already anticipated that.” The prosecutor said Proffitt alleged that the two told him to leave. He also said McClure charged at him, and he shot McClure three times before turning the gun on Chandler, the prosecutor said.
Shoval also said that as deputies were at the scene, a coworker of Chandler’s approached and said he had been sent to check on Chandler because at 8:34 p.m. Chandler had sent a text that said, “Hey he’s got a gun I need you.”
A GoFundMe page created by Chandler’s family notes that she was also known as Avery, and that she was “a beloved sister, daughter, granddaughter, and so much more.” “Her loss has shattered her family and friends, and we are doing everything we can to honor her memory while navigating unimaginable grief,” the GoFundMe reads. The Navy issued a statement saying, “Our heartfelt thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathies are with the Sailor’s family, friends, and shipmates during this incredibly difficult time.”
As the investigation continues, authorities urge anyone with information to contact the Homicide Unit at (858) 285-6330 or after hours at (858) 868-3200. Anonymous tips can be submitted to San Diego Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. The community is advised to remain vigilant but not alarmed. Proffitt faces life in prison without parole if convicted as charged. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 22.
