“This is finally your day in court,” Christopher Santiago said Thursday in Franklin Common Pleas Court at the sentencing of the man who killed his son.
“Well, it’s finally Christopher’s day in court and our family’s day too.”
Daniel Ratliff, 27, pleaded guilty March 28 to voluntary manslaughter and felonious assault for fatally shooting 29-year-old Christopher A. R. Santiago and wounding 42-year-old Shaulette Drain on Jan. 15, 2020.
Ratliff’s plea came as part of a deal with Franklin County prosecutors to avoid a murder charge.
On Thursday, Franklin Common Pleas Court Judge Kimberly Cocroft sentenced Ratliff to an indefinite prison term of 22 years to 27½, the maximum sentence she could impose. Ratliff has been in jail for more than 2½ years, and that will count toward time served.
Ratliff apologized to Santiago’s family during the sentencing hearing.
“I would like to let the family know I am sorry for how I chose to handle the situation,” he said.
But Cocroft said she did not believe Ratliff is genuinely remorseful.
A deadly chase
“There was a chase on open roads prior to the bloody, deadly vicious climax of these events,” Cocroft said.
Franklin County Assistant Prosecutor Charles Holbrook said “Ratliff was performing an act of retribution for an allegation of robbery of his drug house” with the shooting.
Ratliff contended Santiago attempted to rob and kill him before Jan. 15, 2020, but Santiago’s gun jammed.
Ratliff tricked Drain into luring Santiago to him under the guise of a drug deal, Drain’s defense attorney Mark Collins previously said.
Riding in Santiago’s vehicle, Drain directed Santiago to the area of Aberdeen and Cleveland Avenues around 5 a.m. on Jan. 15, 2020, according to court documents.
There, Ratliff in an SUV pursued Santiago’s vehicle for more than six blocks, shooting at Santiago’s vehicle until Santiago crashed into a pole in the 1400 block of Loretta Avenue in North Linden.
“He hunted him down, firing shots at him for over six blocks,” Holbrook said.
Ratliff then got out of his vehicle and emptied the rest of his clip into Santiago, Ratliff has admitted. Drain was also shot by the barrage of bullets.
The pair was found at around 5:25 a.m. Santiago was pronounced dead at the scene. Drain was transported to OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital for treatment and survived.
Drain pleaded guilty in September to involuntary manslaughter and Cocroft sentenced her to four years of community control (probation) at the request of Santiago’s family. The family says they have forgiven her and want her to get treatment for her substance use disorder.
A tense sentencing hearing
The courtroom was packed Thursday with Santiago’s family as well as Ratliff’s family, with people on both sides crying. During the hearing, multiple people on Ratliff’s side stormed out or were ordered to leave by the judge for speaking.
Owen Kalis, Ratliff’s defense attorney, said during the hearing Ratliff had a rough childhood and was exposed to a life of crime beginning when he was 13 or 14.
“He had no father, no support,” Kalis said. “When you’re born in that life, you really have no way out.”
Kalis said Ratliff has four kids and he needed to put food on the table.
When this shooting occurred, Ratliff was out on bond for a drug offense. Ratliff pleaded guilty earlier this month to felony possession of drugs and Judge Carl Aveni will sentence him on May 5.
Santiago told Ratliff during the hearing that Jesus died for his sins.
“All you have to do is ask him for forgiveness,” Santiago said. “Because Jesus has forgiven us, we forgive you too … but we all have choices.”
“I lost my dad when I was nine. I didn’t have a father growing up, I didn’t do crime,” Santiago said. “I know Christopher would have never taken anyone’s life unless it was in self-defense.”