Who Is KC Joy From Netflix's Worst Roommate Ever?
In recent years, Netflix has established itself as the home of some of the most talked-about documentaries to influence the pop culture conversation. Whether it's highlighting bizarre true crime cases ("Making a Murderer) or delving into the underbelly of murder, mullets, and wild cats ("Tiger King"), the streamer's releases, whether scripted or non-scripted, tend to chronicle true crime stories that seem too unbelievable to be true. Unfortunately, the harrowing subject matter is all too real.
At the same time, the popularity of documentaries of this ilk is understandable. True crime stories always make for morbidly fascinating viewing, after all. However, finding new niches within the genre is no easy task. To keep things interesting, Netflix recently began placing more focus on stories about scammers, ranging from "Inventing Anna" to "Bad Vegan" to "Tinder Swindler." That said, the latest of the bunch, "Worst Roommate Ever," might be the most terrifying of them all.
Inspired by the New York Magazine article of the same name, "Worst Roommate Ever" is exactly what its title suggests. The five-episode miniseries tells the stories of roommates who turned out to be dangerous criminals. From stalkers to killers, the chosen tales of terror are truly baffling, but they are more accurate than some viewers might think. One of the more chilling stories covered in Season 1 revolves around KC Joy, a convicted killer whose case remains shrouded in controversy to this day. But who is he, and what's his history?
KC Joy has a tragic and troubled background
"Worst Roommate Ever" mainly focuses on KC Joy's life during the events of the Maribel Ramos case, but more on that later. As such, the series doesn't explore his background in too much depth. The Netflix documentary reveals that he lived in Tennessee before moving to California, citing professional and personal troubles as his reason for moving across the country. In short, Joy lost both his job and his parents when he lived in Tennessee, prompting him to move away and start over, ultimately leading to him moving in with Ramos.
That said, it seems that Joy had a sketchy history long before he moved to California to start fresh. According to ScreenRant, he had a row with his sister regarding inheritance money, and their relationship supposedly turned so ugly that she had to get a restraining order against him. For the most part, though, little is known about Joy's life before the incidents that "Worst Roommate Ever" covers.
KC Joy was convicted of killing Maribel Ramos in 2014
Maribel Ramos met KC Joy when he answered her Craigslist ad for a roommate in Orange, California. They lived together for 18 months before she disappeared in 2013, having been last seen on CCTV on May 2, 2013, at their apartment complex's front desk. Her body was discovered in a shallow grave in Modjeska Canyon, California, two weeks later, and it was so decomposed that the authorities could only identify her through dental records.
During the subsequent investigation, the authorities learned that Ramos had gotten into an argument with Joy over a rent dispute. It didn't take long for him to become the chief suspect in the murder case, especially considering that his name had come up in the past. While investigating Joy, the authorities learned that Ramos called the police on him 10 days before she disappeared, claiming that he made her feel unsafe.
In the end, Joy was found guilty after the authorities tracked his internet activity, discovering that they included map searches of the Santiago Canyon area, close to the location where Ramos' body was found. Furthermore, Joy had been researching how long it took for a dead body to decay in the wilderness. While the cause of Ramos' death couldn't be determined, the evidence against Joy was substantial enough to warrant a conviction. He was charged with second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 to life in prison in 2014 (via Radio Times).
KC Joy maintains his innocence to this day
KC Joy pleaded "not guilty" during his trial in 2014 and his stance remains the same eight years later. According to Joy (via EyeWitness News), the authorities were unable to find any physical evidence that linked him to the crime, and he has refused to accept any accountability as a result. "Family wants me to apologize, which I cannot apologize for something I haven't done," said Joy at his hearing. "Maybe someday the truth will come out, maybe I'll just die inside prison."
After being convicted and sentenced, Joy pleaded for a retrial, but his request was denied after the court decided that the other evidence against him was more than sufficient (via MEAWW). That said, he will be eligible for parole in 2023, and he seems intent on clearing his name in the public eye. For example, he's currently working on a book titled "Suspect, Guilty Until Proven Innocent," which will delve deeper into his side of the story.