On the morning of December 5, 2010 Ronald Saunders carried the lifeless body of two-year-old Conner Bachuss to Conner's mother's bedroom. Saunders was Conner's mother's boyfriend. Conner's mother immediately called 911.

After Conner arrived at the hospital doctors found multiple injuries including bruising on his face and neck, internal bleeding, severe brain damage and two large bruises on his back. He also had 114 small puncture wounds and doctors also removed a thumbtack from the top of Conner's stomach. After and MRI was done doctor's told Conner's mother that he was brain dead and asked her permission to pull Conner off life support. A day later, with his family at his bedside, Connor was removed from life support and died a short time later.

Ronald Saunders was charged with Conner's murder. In court Saunders denied he killed Conner however in jail he confessed his crimes to a fellow inmate. Saunders told the inmate he and Conner were laying on the floor sleeping and Conner had kicked him in the back. Saunders said he then went into a daze. The next thing Saunders remembered was using one of his hands to hold the back of Conner's head down. He also said that he had one leg across Conner's back and the other leg across Conner's legs. He also stated he had a pin in his hand.

Unfortunately since there were no witnesses to the crime the jury deadlocked and did not convict Saunders. In order to ensure a conviction the prosecutor allowed Saunders to plead guilty to second-degree manslaughter. He received a sentence of ten years in prison. Saunders took an Alford Plea which means he refused to admit guilt however he acknowledged there was more than enough evidence to convict him of Conner's murder.

Had the jury heard Saunders violent past they may have voted differently. In 2005 Saunders was investigated by children's services in North Carolina. Saunders was investigated after his girlfriend's son missed three days of daycare. When the child returned to daycare he had a bruised and bloodshot eye, bruising behind both ears, two swollen lips and bruising on his forehead. The child was removed from the home and suffered no further injuries. Saunders was believed to have inflicted the injuries however he was never criminally charged. Saunders violent behavior continued in April and May 2007 while serving in the U.S. Marines. Saunders was convicted three times for assaults on fellow marines. Two assaults involved binding another marine and hitting him with his arms and fists. Another charge involved Saunders choking another marine until he was unconscious and then dropping him on a concrete deck, which fractured the marine's skull. Saunders also had a fourth charge dismissed that involved choking a fellow marine.

Ronald Saunders is a child killer. He has never shown remorse and still does not take responsibility for his actions. Saunders also has a violent past that includes both assaults on children and adults. Releasing Ronald Saunders prior to serving his maximum sentence of ten years would not further the interests of justice and will present a serious risk to the community. In addition, releasing Saunders early would deny justice for Conner Bachuss. Based on the fact Ronald Saunders murdered an innocent two-year-old child, and the fact he has an extensive history of violence, we believe Ronald Saunders should serve his maximum sentence of ten years in prison.