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COURT DOCS: Documents reveal new details of Ray Ingram's murder

Posted at 1:51 PM, Feb 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-01 15:34:30-05

Court documents show new details in the murder of J's Place owner and chef, Ray Ingram.

Ingram began a relationship with another woman in 2009 and had a child with her in 2013. She asked Ingram to tell Bowers about their relationship but he refused for several years.

The woman told Bowers herself in 2016 by writing her a letter and spoke to her on the phone.

RELATED: Girlfriend arrested for involvement in murder of J's Place owner

She asked him to end his relationship with Bowers many times, he refused. Ingram financially supported her when needed since she became pregnant with his child.

The other woman said Bowers may have been tracking Ingram's phone to keep tabs on her location. She believes Bowers may have shot Ingram because Bowers may have become upset if she saw her text to Ingram thanking him for the Valentine's Day gift.

A photo on Bowers phone showed a Vons receipt from Valentine's Day -- two Mega muggs, two flower arrangements, and two balloons were purchased. Only one balloon was found in Bowers home.

Bowers had asked Ingram about marriage but he always said no. However, they had been together for more than 25 years. They also had one child together who works and lives in Camarillo.

Police spoke to Ingram’s child, who said he never witnessed any type of domestic abuse between Ingram and Bowers other than occasional arguments.

Security footage on the day of the murder showed that Ingram parked across the street from Bowers’ home at 6:02 a.m. Officers arrived on scene at 6:21 a.m. Bowers was arrested three minutes later.

A text sent to Bowers phone from Ingram’s at 5:01 a.m. that day read “Put all my stuff in the bag my receipts I’m dropping all your stuff this morning no conversation needed”.

RELATED: 911 call released in Southwest Bakersfield shooting of local chef

Record checks showed one prior contact between Bowers and Ingram on February 23, 2009. Bowers said Ingram followed her in a vehicle trying to get her to pull over. She refused and he sideswiped her car. Bowers refused action.

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Family friends said they believe Bowers was upset that Ingram told her he was not going to marry her and believed he was going to no longer financially support her.

Ingram had a prior narcotics arrest in 1988, and Bowers had a prior petty theft arrest in 1993.