Geno Sentenced To 50 Years
Clovis Christopher Geno was sentenced to serve 50 years in the Montana State Prison on Wednesday, Aug. 18, for the murder of Ramona Naramore in Culbertson during January 2020.
District Judge David J. Cybulski announced the sentencing after hearing comments from both state and defense attorneys. The 50-year sentence includes no parole restrictions. Geno was ordered to pay fines as well as $3,515 in restitution for funeral expenses. He will receive credit of 546 days for time served.
“Your drinking led to this wreck basically,” Cybulski said. “There’s no mediatory circumstances.”
Naramore was found dead in Culbertson in January 2020 and an autopsy revealed she was killed by strangulation.
The trial lasted three days. Jury members deliberated for about an hour before returning with a verdict.
“It was a string of domestic violence that went very, very wrong,” Cybulski said.
Geno will be eligible for parole consideration after serving onefourth of the sentence. During the sentencing hearing, prosecutor David Buchler noted that there were no impact statements being made because the victim had a limited family. Two friends were at the hearing in honor of the victim’s memory.
“There’s no one here to speak on her behalf,” Buchler said. He noted that because there wasn’t anyone there to express the positive impacts lost with Naramore’s death, it was up to the court to speak for here.
He asked that the judge make a sentence that would protect society and be appropriate to punish Geno.
Buchler recommended a sentence of 100 years with no possibility of parole. He noted that there’s no evidence of emotional distress being suffered by Geno that led to the attack. “Being an alcoholic or drinking isn’t an excuse.”
Based on testimony, Naramore was afraid to go home that night and also afraid of the ramifications if she didn’t go home.
“His actions were deliberate. He’s done things like this before. He knew what he was doing,” Buchler said. “He’s solely responsible for his actions.”
Defense attorney Casey R. Moore noted that Geno is 56 years old. “For any sentence we fashion here, he’s going to be an old man if he gets out of prison.”
Moore said that the incident included alcohol by both parties. “There’s no evidence of planning here,” he said.
He added that Geno has little criminal history.
Moore requested a sentence of 20 years. “I feel he will be find with supervision quite frankly,” Moore said.
Montana attorney general and former Roosevelt County Attorney Austin Knudsen originally indicated that he was going to seek the death penalty in the case. In August 2020, Knudsen withdrawn his intent to pursue the death penalty against Geno.
