Jarrod Ramos reportedly sent the Virginian-Pilot editor who he previously attempted to sue a card telling him to “smile” because it was his “big day” and “all eyes” were on him, WTOP reported.
The letter addressed to Eric Hartley was received Thursday at the publication’s Norfolk offices and postmarked June 28, the day a gunman opened fire in a newspaper office in Maryland's capital, killing five people and wounding several others at The Capital Gazette.
The source of the letter was marked as “anonymous” but police believe that it came from shooting suspect Ramos, according to The Associated Press.
“Smile, you’re on camera” the card said, according to The Virginian-Pilot, and “It’s your big day. All eyes are on you.”
The letter, which contained the unsigned card as well as a compact disc, was handed over unopened to the Norfolk police. It is unclear what was on the disc.
In 2012, Ramos brought a defamation lawsuit against Hartley, who previously worked as a writer and columnist for The Capital.
Three years later Maryland’s second-highest court upheld a ruling in favor of The Capital Gazette and a former reporter who were accused by Ramos of defamation.
Police believe the suspect sent out three other letters before the brutal attack, with one of the letters saying he was going to the newspaper "with the objective of killing every person present," The Baltimore Sun reported.
That letter, turned over to police by the Gazette's former attorney, was reportedly signed by Ramos and dated June 28.
Police said they believe Ramos also sent letters to Maryland's Court of Special Appeals and to a Baltimore City judge.
Police spokesman, Marc Limansky, said the contents of the letters were threatening and noted that Ramos had included his name and return address, The Baltimore Sun reported.
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