Summaries of the crimes, Below, as per the 115 active death row cases,
at the time of the Annual Report, page 67-181, as per
Ohio AG Yost's 2025 Capital Crimes Annual Report
https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Reports/Capital-Crimes-Annual-Reports/2025-Cap-Crimes-Annual-Report_WEB.aspx
Sharp notes
so far 113 murderers with 155 murders
Nearly all the murders can be described as torture murders
Many children raped and murdered or murdered
2 cops murdered
9 in prison murders
2 innocents murdered by those prisoners they were trying to help, via prison ministries. The prisoners got out and murdered them, in the free world
In alphabetical order, as per the Annual Report, page 67-181
The number after the paragraph number is the number of murders.
NOTE: I have 113 cases, not 1115, and will go back and re check, later
1) 2
Adams, Stanley T. Trumbull County '
ummary of Crime: On 10/11/99, Adams murdered 43-year-old Esther Cook and her 12-year-old daughter, Ashley Cook, in their Warren home. Ms. Cook had previously allowed Adams to live with her and Ashley. Adams beat Ms. Cook to death, breaking her nose and ribs and causing severe trauma to her head, neck, chest, and abdomen. Adams raped Ashley, punched her multiple times in the mouth, hit her in the head, and strangled her with an electrical cord.
2) 4
Ahmed, Nawaz Belmont County
Summary of Crime: On 09/11/99, Ahmed murdered his estranged wife, 39-year-old Dr. Lubaina Bhatti, her father, 78- year-old Abdul Majid Bhatti, her sister, 35-year-old Ruhie Ahmed, and her niece, 2-year-old Nasira
3) 1
Allen, David W. Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On or about 01/24/91, Allen murdered 84-year-old Chloie English in her Bedford home. Ms. English had met Allen when she came to visit him and other prisoners as part of her church ministry program. After his release from prison, Allen beat Ms. English, strangled her, slit her wrists, and stabbed her 16 times. Allen also stole her money, credit cards, and checkbook.
4) 1
Apanovitch, Anthony Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 08/23/84, Apanovitch murdered 33-year-old Mary Ann Flynn in her Cleveland home. Ms. Flynn had hired Apanovitch to paint her house. Apanovitch tied up Ms. Flynn, raped her, brutally beat her, and stabbed her in the neck with wood from the windowsill in her bedroom. DNA testing, conducted in 2006, identified Apanovitch as the source of the sperm found inside Ms. Flynn’s mouth.
5) 1
Bays, Richard Greene County
Summary of Crime: On 11/15/93, Bays murdered 76-year-old wheelchair-bound Charles Weaver in Weaver’s Xenia home. After smoking crack cocaine, Bays went to Mr. Weaver’s house to borrow money. When Mr. Weaver told Bays that he did not have any money, Bays beat him with a battery charger and a portable tape recorder and then stabbed him several times with a kitchen knife.
6) 3
Beasley, Richard Summit County
Summary of Crime: In August 2011 Beasley and his co-defendant, Brogan Rafferty, murdered Ralph Geiger (age 56 from Akron, Ohio) by shooting him in the back of the head and then buried him in a shallow grave. In October and November of 2011, Beasley, who had assumed Mr. Geiger’s identity, and Rafferty used an advertisement on Craigslist for a fictitious farmhand job to lure David Pauley (age 51 from Norfolk, Virginia), Timothy Kern (age 47 from Massillon, Ohio) and Scott Davis (age 49 from South Carolina) to remote locations in Noble and Summit Counties. Beasley and Rafferty shot, killed and buried Mr. Pauley and Mr. Kern in shallow graves. The pair also attempted to murder Mr. Davis, but he was able to escape with a gunshot wound to his elbow. (Beasley received the death penalty for all three slain men.) (Rafferty received life without the possibility of parole for his participation in the crimes.
7) 1
12) 1
16) 3 (4)
25) 1
30) 1
32) 2
37) 4
Belton, Anthony Lucas County
Summary of Crime: On 08/13/08, Belton murdered 34-year-old Matthew Dugan. Belton shot Mr. Dugan in the head during a robbery of the Toledo BP gas station where Mr. Dugan was employed.
8) 2
Bethel, Jr., Robert Franklin County
Summary of Crime: On 06/26/96, Bethel and his accomplice, fellow gang member Jeremy Chavis, murdered 18-year-old James Reynolds and Reynolds’ 14-year-old girlfriend, Shannon Hawks, in a field in Franklin County.
9) 1
Bonnell, Melvin Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 11/28/87, Bonnell murdered 23-year-old Robert Bunner in his Bridge Avenue apartment in Cleveland. Bonnell entered the apartment without permission, shot Mr. Bunner twice at close range and repeatedly struck him in the face after he had fallen to the floor.
10) 1
Brinkley, Grady Lucas County
Summary of Crime: On 01/07/00, Brinkley murdered his former girlfriend, 18-year-old Shantae Smith, in her Toledo apartment. While in county jail for the robbery of a local diner, Brinkley learned that Ms. Smith was dating someone else.
11) 5
Brinkman, Jr., George (1) Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 06/10/17, Brinkman murdered 45-year-old Suzanne Taylor and her daughters, 21-year-old Taylor Pifer and 18-year-old Kylie Pifer, in their North Royalton home. Brinkman forced Suzanne and her daughters to lie on the bed next to one another at knifepoint and ordered Kylie to tie up Suzanne and Taylor with zip ties. Brinkman stabbed Suzanne several times with the knife and cut her throat. He then smothered Taylor to death with a pillow and strangled Kylie to death with a phone charging cord. Brinkman later confessed to all three murders. (Brickman received the death penalty for all 3 victims.) (Note: Brinkman also received the death penalty from Stark County for the aggravated murders of Rogell and Roberta John.)
Summary of Crime: On 06/11/17, George Brinkman murdered Rogell and Roberta John in their Lake Township home. Brinkman had been dog-sitting for the Johns while they were on vacation. When they returned home, an argument over the care of the dog ensued. Brinkman, armed with Rogell’s gun which Brinkman had earlier retrieved and loaded, ordered the Johns to a bedroom. He then shot Rogell to death before severely beating Roberta and shooting her in the head. Brinkman then stole money before fleeing.
Bryan, Quisi Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 06/25/00, Bryan murdered a police officer, 32-year-old Wayne Leon, at a gas station in Cleveland. Officer Leon had stopped Bryan’s car for a traffic violation. When Officer Leon used his radio to check on Bryan’s fictitious license plate, Bryan shot Officer Leon in the face. Kenneth Niedhammer witnessed the shooting and followed Bryan’s car. Bryan stopped his vehicle on two occasions and shot at Mr. Niedhammer. Bryan testified at trial that he shot Officer Leon to prevent him from discovering Bryan’s parole violation for an attempted robbery conviction. (Bryan was also convicted of the attempted murder of Mr. Niedhammer.)
13) 1
Carter, Sean Trumbull County
Summary of Crime: On 09/14/97, Carter murdered his 68-year-old adoptive grandmother, Veader Prince, at her home in Farmington Township. Upon his release from jail for theft, Ms. Prince refused to allow Carter to live with her. Carter raped, beat and stabbed Ms. Prince 18 times and also stole her money.
14) 1
Cepec, Steven Medina County
Summary of Crime: On 06/03/10, Cepec murdered 72-year-old Frank Munz in his Chatham Township home. Cepec had been on parole for prior aggravated burglaries from multiple counties. As a condition of his parole Cepec was to undergo drug treatment. Cepec left the treatment facility without permission the day after he arrived. Cepec entered Mr. Munz’s home armed with duct tape and a realistic-looking pellet gun. He bound Mr. Munz with the duct tape and then beat him in the head with the claw end of a hammer. He then strangled Mr. Munz with an electrical cord from a lamp found in the home.
15) 1
Chinn, Davel Montgomery County
Summary of Crime: On 01/30/89, Chinn murdered 21-year-old Brian Jones on Germantown Pike in Jefferson Township. Chinn, and his juvenile accomplice, Marvin Washington, robbed Mr. Jones and his friend, Gary Welborn, in downtown Dayton. Mr. Welborn escaped, but Chinn and Washington were able to kidnap Mr. Jones, driving off with him and his car. A short time later, Chinn ordered Mr. Jones out of the car and shot him in the chest and arm.
Clinton, Curtis Erie County
Summary of Crime: On 09/08/12, Curtis Clinton murdered 23-year-old Heather Jackson, 3-year-old Celina Jackson, and 18-month-old Wayne Jackson, Jr., in their Sandusky home. Heather was found naked between a mattress and a bed frame. The children were found, clothed, in a utility room closet. All three were strangled. Clinton raped both Heather and Celina. Clinton’s DNA was found on all three victims. The murders occurred seven months after Clinton was released from prison after serving 13 years for involuntary manslaughter in the 1997 killing of 18-year-old Misty Keckler who had also been found naked and strangled to death. (Clinton received the death penalty for all three victims.)
17) 1
Coleman, Timothy Clark County
Summary of Crime: On 01/02/96, Coleman murdered Melinda Stevens in an alley behind Riddles’ Ribs in Springfield. Ms. Stevens worked as a confidential informant for the Springfield Police, whose controlled purchases of drugs led to Coleman’s indictment for aggravated trafficking of cocaine. While Coleman was out on bond awaiting trial, he shot Ms. Stevens twice in the back of the head to prevent her from testifying against him
18) 1
Coley, Douglas Lucas County
Summary of Crime: On 01/03/97, Coley and an accomplice, Joseph Green, murdered 21-year-old Samar El-Okdi in an alley behind West Grove Place in Toledo. Coley and Green abducted Ms. El-Okdi, shot her in the head at close range, and stole her car. Coley was also convicted for the attempted murder, robbery, and kidnapping of David Moore for a separate car-jacking incident that occurred days before the murder of Ms. El-Okdi.
19) 2
22) 2
23) 1Conway, James T. (1) Franklin County
Summary of Crime: On 01/19/02, Conway murdered 25-year-old Jason Gervais and attempted to murder Mandel Williams in the parking lot of Dockside Dolls, a strip club in Columbus. Mr. Gervais was an innocent bystander in a fight between Mr. Williams’ friends and Conway’s friends. After Conway’s brother claimed that he had been stabbed by Mr. Williams, Conway retrieved a gun from the trunk of his car, ran toward Mr. Williams and opened fire. Conway shot Mr. Williams, but Mr. Williams survived. Conway also shot Mr. Gervais four times, once in the back, causing his death. After police arrested Conway several weeks later for an unrelated shooting, he confided in a fellow cellmate that he was unremorseful for shooting Mr. Gervais.
Summary of Crime: In September 2001, Conway murdered 20-year-old Andrew Dotson in Prairie Township. Conway feared Mr. Dotson would inform police about Conway’s involvement in an earlier shooting, so Conway told two friends, Mike Arthurs and Shawn Nightingale, to kill Mr. Dotson. Arthurs and Nightingale could not go through with the murder and brought Mr. Dotson back to Conway. Conway then took Mr. Dotson to a cornfield and stabbed him twice in the chest with a pickax. While later incarcerated, Conway tried to hire a fellow inmate to kill Arthurs. At the time of his trial, Conway was serving a death sentence for an unrelated 2002 murder. (Arthurs and Nightingale also received prison time for their involvement in the murder of Mr. Dotson.)
20) 1
Cook, Derrick Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On 10/28/89, Cook murdered 68-year-old Frank Shorter in an abandoned building on Seitz Street in Cincinnati. Mr. Shorter was the manager of Sullivan’s Clothing Store in Lockland, Ohio. Cook stole clothing and money from Sullivan’s. He then kidnapped Mr. Shorter, taking him to an abandoned building where he robbed him and shot him in the head at point-blank range.
21) 2
Cunningham, Jeronique Allen County
Summary of Crime: On 01/03/02, Cunningham and his half-brother, Cleveland Jackson, murdered 3-year-old Jala Grant and 17-year-old Leneshia Williams at a home in Lima. Jala, Leneshia, and six other people were at the house of a man whom Cunningham and Jackson planned to rob of his crack cocaine and money. After stealing drugs, money, and jewelry, Cunningham and Jackson opened fire on everyone in the house, fatally shooting Jala twice in the head as her father held her in his arms and fatally shooting Leneshia in the back of the head. (Cunningham and Jackson were also convicted for the attempted murders of the survivors, each of whom suffered
Davis, Von Clark Butler County
Summary of Crime: On 12/12/83, Davis murdered his former girlfriend, 27-year-old Suzette Butler, outside the American Legion Post 520 in Hamilton. Davis shot Ms. Butler in the head at close range and continued to shoot her after she fell to the ground. At the time, Davis was on parole after serving prison time for murdering his wife.
Dixon, Archie Lucas County
Summary of Crime: On 09/22/93, Dixon and his accomplice, Timothy Hoffner, murdered their roommate, 22-year-old Christopher Hammer at a park in Toledo. Dixon and Hoffner planned to kill Mr. Hammer to assume his identity. Dixon and Hoffner repeatedly beat Mr. Hammer, tied him up, took him into the woods, and buried him alive. Dixon and Hoffner stole $11 in cash from Mr. Hammer’s wallet, his driver’s license, his Social Security card, his birth certificate, and his car. Dixon and Hoffner confessed to police, and Hoffner showed police where they buried Mr. Hammer alive. (Hoffner also received a death sentence.)
24) 1
Drain, Joel Warren County
Summary of Crime: On 04/13/19, Drain, an inmate serving a life sentence for aggravated murder at the Warren Correctional Institution, fatally attacked inmate Christopher Richardson. Drain admitted to initially intending to murder another inmate but then decided to kill Mr. Richardson instead. Drain hit Mr. Richardson with a fan multiple times, attempted to put a pencil in his eye, and attempted to strangle him with a cord. Mr. Richardson died as a result of his injuries two days later. Drain confessed to the murder and pled no contest to the indictment.
Drummond, John E. Mahoning County
Summary of Crime: On 03/24/03, Drummond murdered 3-month-old Jiyen Dent, Jr., at his home in Youngstown. Drummond incorrectly believed Jiyen’s father was involved in the 1998 murder of one of Drummond’s fellow gang members. Drummond and an accomplice, Wayne Gilliam, drove to the Dent household. Drummond exited the car and fired 11 shots from an AK47 assault rifle into the house, fatally wounding Jiyen in the head. Drummond later confessed to his cell mate that he was the shooter. Gilliam was also sentenced to 54 years in prison for his involvement in the aggravated murder.
26) 1
Elmore, Phillip L. Licking County
Summary of Crime: On 06/01/02, Elmore murdered his ex-girlfriend and former Licking County deputy sheriff, 47- year-old Pamela Annarino, at her Newark home. While Ms. Annarino was at her son’s wedding, Elmore broke into her home and waited for her. When Ms. Annarino returned home, Elmore strangled her and beat her with a lead pipe. Elmore then stole Ms. Annarino’s purse and fled in her car. In an interview with Newark police, Elmore confessed.
27) 2
Ford, Jr., Shawn Summit County
Summary of Crime: On 04/02/13, Shawn Ford, along with his juvenile accomplice Jamal Vaughn, murdered 59-year-old Margaret “Peg” Schobert and 56-year-old Jeffrey Schobert. Ford and Vaughn broke into the Schoberts’ New Franklin home where Ford bludgeoned Mr. Schobert to death with a sledgehammer. Using Mr. Schobert’s cell phone, Ford lured Mrs. Schobert home from the hospital where the Schoberts’ daughter, Chelsea, was recovering after Ford stabbed her in the neck. When Mrs. Schobert returned home, Ford beat her to death with the sledgehammer. Ford murdered the Schoberts because they prevented him from seeing Chelsea. Ford admitted to bludgeoning the Schoberts with the sledgehammer.
28) 3
Franklin, Antonio S. Montgomery County
Summary of Crime: On 04/18/97, Franklin murdered his grandmother, Ophelia Franklin, his grandfather, Ivory Franklin, Sr., and his uncle, Anthony Franklin, in their Dayton home. Franklin beat his uncle and grandmother with a baseball bat, shot his grandmother in the forehead, beat his grandfather in the head with another object, and set the house on fire. Franklin fled to Tennessee where he was arrested on unrelated charges
29) 2
Froman, Terry Warren County
Summary of Crime: On September 12, 2014, Froman murdered his ex-girlfriend, 34-year-old Kimberly Thomas, in his SUV on Interstate 75 in Warren County, Ohio. In the early morning hours, Froman went to Thomas’ residence in Mayfield, Kentucky and kidnapped Ms. Thomas after fatally shooting her 17-year-old son, Michael “Eli” Mohney, in the back of the head. Froman drove Ms. Thomas into Ohio, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol attempted to stop his SUV on Interstate 75 in Warren County. As the troopers exited their vehicles, Froman fired his gun, killing Ms. Thomas, and intentionally wounding himself. In addition to the gunshot wounds, one of which was to the back of the head, Froman broke Ms. Thomas’ jaw, knocked out a tooth, punctured a hole in her lip, and inflicted multiple cuts and bruises to her body. (Froman was given life without the possibility of parole in Kentucky for murdering Eli.)
Fry, Jr., Clarence Summit County
Summary of Crime: On 07/31/05, Fry murdered his former girlfriend, 41-year-old Tamela Hardison, in her daughter’s Akron apartment. Fry stabbed Ms. Hardison four times with a butcher knife, in front of her grandchildren, to stop her from testifying against him in a domestic violence case.
31) 3
Gapen, Larry James Montgomery County
Summary of Crime: On 09/18/00, Gapen murdered his ex-wife, 37-year-old Martha Madewell, her boyfriend, 40-yearold Nathan Marshall, and her daughter, 13-year-old Jesica Young, in Ms. Madewell’s Dayton home. Gapen, distraught over the recent dissolution of his marriage to Ms. Madewell, entered the house and bludgeoned each victim with a maul (longhandled hammer with a wedge-shaped head used to split logs). Gapen hacked Ms. Madewell 10 times in the face and head. He hacked Mr. Marshall 18 times in the face, head, neck, chest and abdomen and Jesica 32 times in the face, head, neck and chest. Gapen then left the house with Ms. Madewell’s 7-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. Gapen confessed to police. DNA testing proved that the semen found on Ms. Madewell’s leg and abdomen belonged to Gapen.
Garrett, Kristofer Franklin County
Summary of Crime: On the morning of 01/05/18, Garrett murdered his ex-girlfriend, 34-year-old Nicole Duckson, and their 4-year-old daughter, Kristina Duckson, in the backyard of Nicole’s Columbus home. Garrett had stabbed Nicole more than 40 times with a hunting knife because he was angry with her about an email she sent indicating he was behind on his child support. Garrett then stabbed Kristina more than 30 times because she had witnessed Garrett murder her mother.
33) 1
Goff, James Clinton County
Summary of Crime: On 09/15/94, Goff murdered 88-year-old Myrtle Rutledge in her home in Wilmington. Goff, who was employed as a delivery person for Butler Home Furnishings, had been to Ms. Rutledge’s home earlier that day to deliver some furniture. Later that night, Goff returned to Ms. Rutledge’s house to rob her. After finding Ms. Rutledge awake in her bedroom, he beat and stabbed her several times. He then left with her money and car
34) 5
Grate, Shawn Ashland County
Summary of Crime: Between 08/16/16 and 09/13/16, Grate kidnapped and murdered 29-year-old Elizabeth Griffin and 43-year-old Stacy Hicks (aka Stacey Stanley) in an Ashland County home. Grate admitted to strangling the women to death. Ms. Griffin was found bound in an upstairs bedroom closet under dirty clothes, and Ms. Hicks was found bound in the basement also covered in clothing. Grate confessed to both murders and that he had also videotaped himself raping Ms. Hicks. Grate was also convicted of kidnapping and raping another woman, “Jane Doe,” who managed to escape from the same house where the bodies of Ms. Griffin and Ms. Hicks were found. (Grate received the death penalty for both victims.) (Grate was convicted of the murders of Rebekah Leicy and Candace Cunningham in Richland County, as well as Dana Lowrey in Marion County, but did not receive the death penalty for those victims.)
35) 1
Group, Scott Mahoning County
Summary of Crime: On 01/18/97, Group murdered 56-year-old Robert Lozier at the Downtown Bar in Youngstown. Mr. Lozier and his wife, Sandra Lozier, owned the bar. Group, who was a delivery man for Ohio Wine Imports Company, made weekly deliveries to the bar. On the day of the murder, Group went to the bar to review some invoices. He forced Mr. and Mrs. Lozier into the restroom at gunpoint, shot them in the head, and stole between $1,200 and $1,300 cash from the bar. Mrs. Lozier was able to call 911 and testified against Group at trial.
36) 1
Hale, Delano P. Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 06/21/04, Hale murdered 46-year-old Douglas Green at a motel in Euclid. Mr. Green, who was a music producer, came to Hale’s motel room to audition him. Hale shot Mr. Green four times in the head, stole his credit cards and car. Hale used Mr. Green’s credit card to buy cleaning products and garbage bags to clean up the crime scene. He then dragged Mr. Green’s body into an adjoining storage room, threw the gun into the hotel garbage, and disposed of Mr. Green’s clothes. Mr. Green was found naked and wrapped in plastic trash bags by hotel workers two days later. Hale was arrested a week later in Mr. Green’s car
Hand, Gerald Delaware County
Summary of Crime: On 01/15/02, Hand murdered his 58-year-old wife, Jill Hand, and longtime friend, 55-year-old Walter Welch, at Hand’s home in Delaware County. Hand, who was in debt, hired Mr. Welch to kill Jill so that Hand could collect the insurance proceeds from a policy he had purchased in Jill’s name. Hand fatally shot Jill and Mr. Welch. He then tried to make it appear that Mr. Welch killed Jill, and Hand, in return, killed Mr. Welch in an act of self-defense. DNA testing matched bloodstains found on Hand’s clothes to Mr. Welch’s DNA profile. At Hand’s trial, the State presented evidence that Hand was involved in the 1976 and 1979 murders of two of his former wives. (Hand received the death penalty for the murders of both Jill and Mr. Welch.)
38) 1
Hanna, James G. Warren County
Summary of Crime: On 08/22/97, Hanna attacked his 43-year-old cellmate, Peter Copas, at the Lebanon Correctional Institution. Hanna thrust a sharpened paintbrush into Mr. Copas’ eye and hit him in the head with a padlock placed in a sock. Mr. Copas died as a result of his injuries on 9/10/97.
39) 1 ]
Henderson, Jerome Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On 03/03/85, Henderson murdered 26-year-old Mary Acoff in her Cincinnati apartment. Henderson broke into Ms. Acoff’s apartment, attempted to rape her, stabbed and beat her multiple times in the head, chest and neck, and slashed her throat at least 13 times. Ms. Acoff’s nude body was found by her 10-year-old daughter, when she returned home.
Henness, Warren Franklin County
Summary of Crime: On 03/20/92, Henness murdered 51-year-old Richard Myers in Columbus. Henness knew Mr. Myers because Mr. Myers was helping him seek drug counseling and treatment for Henness’ wife. On the day of the murder, Mr. Myers picked Henness up in his car. Henness shot Mr. Myers five times in the head and stole his car, credit cards and checks. He sold the car and forged the checks and used the money to buy drugs.
41) 1
Hill, Danny Lee Trumbull County
Summary of Crime: On 09/10/85, Hill and an accomplice, Tim Combs, murdered 12-year-old Raymond Fife in a wooded field in Warren. Raymond was riding his bicycle through the field when Hill and Combs abducted him. Hill and Combs raped Raymond, bit his penis, choked him and burnt his face with lighter fluid. Hill later inquired with police about a $5,000 reward and told them facts that were not disclosed to the public, which eventually led to his confession
42) 1
Hoffner, Timothy Lucas County
Summary of Crime: On 09/22/93, Hoffner and his accomplice, Archie Dixon, murdered their roommate, 22-year-old Christopher Hammer in a park in Toledo. Hoffner and Dixon planned to kill Mr. Hammer to assume his identity. Hoffner and Dixon repeatedly beat Mr. Hammer, tied him up, took him into the woods and buried him alive. Hoffner and Dixon stole $11 in cash from Mr. Hammer’s wallet, his driver’s license, his Social Security card, his birth certificate and his car. Hoffner and Dixon confessed.
Hughbanks, Gary Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On 05/13/87, Hughbanks murdered 55-year-old William Leeman and his wife, 53-year-old Juanita Leeman, at their home in Springfield Township. Hughbanks broke into their home to rob them and was still in the house when Mr. and Mrs. Leeman returned home. Hughbanks stabbed Mr. Leeman with a hunting knife about 17 times, repeatedly stabbed Mrs. Leeman and cut both of their throats. The crime was unsolved for 10 years. In 1997, Hughbanks admitted the murders to his family, who told police and turned over the murder weapon. Hughbanks later confessed to police in Tucson, Arizona.
44) 1
Hundley, Lance Mahoning County
Summary of Crime: On 11/06/15, Hundley murdered 41-year-old Erika Huff in her Youngstown home by beating and strangling her. Ms. Huff, who had a child with Hundley’s brother, had permitted Hundley to stay with her prior to her murder. Because Ms. Huff suffered from multiple sclerosis and was confined to a wheelchair, she wore a medical alert necklace. During her murder, Ms. Huff’s alert necklace was pressed, which contacted paramedics and her mother, Denise Johnson. When paramedics responded Hundley told them Ms. Huff’s alert was pressed accidentally. But when Ms. Johnson arrived, Hundley attacked her with a hammer and stabbed her with a knife. Hundley placed Ms. Johnson with Ms. Huff’s lifeless body in a bedroom, set the room on fire, and then changed his clothes. Police rescued Ms. Johnson from the burning bedroom and located Hundley in the house where he claimed he too was a victim. Police recovered the bag of Hundley’s clothing containing Ms. Johnson’s blood, and Hundley’s DNA was found under Ms. Huff’s fingernails.
45) 1
Hutton, Percy Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 09/16/85, Hutton murdered 24-year-old Derek “Ricky” Mitchell in Cleveland. Hutton kidnapped Mr. Mitchell and his friend, Samuel Simmons Jr., at gunpoint while accusing Mr. Mitchell of stealing tires and a sewing machine from him. After recovering the sewing machine, Hutton shot Mr. Simmons twice in the head. Hutton then drove Mr. Simmons to the hospital. Mr. Simmons survived his injuries. Mr. Mitchell was never seen alive again. His body was located two weeks later. He had been shot to death.
46) 2
Jackson, Cleveland R. Allen County
Summary of Crime: On 01/03/02, Jackson and his half-brother, Jeronique Cunningham, murdered 3-year-old Jala Grant and 17-year-old Leneshia Williams at a home in Lima. Jala, Leneshia, and six other people were at the house of a man whom Cunningham and Jackson planned to rob of his crack cocaine and money. After stealing drugs, money, and jewelry, Cunningham and Jackson opened fire on everyone in the house, fatally shooting Jala twice in the head as her father held her in his arms, and fatally shooting Leneshia in the back of the head. (Cunningham and Jackson were also convicted for the attempted murders of the survivors, each of whom suffered gunshot injuries. Cunningham also received a death sentence.) (After resentencing, Jackson received a death sentence only for Leneshia’s murder and life without parole for Jala’s murder.)
Jackson, Jeremiah J. Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: In the early morning of 06/18/09, Jackson murdered 38-year-old Tracy L. Pickryl by shooting her during an aggravated robbery of the Soap Opera Laundry store in Cleveland. Jackson waited until customers left the store before entering, brandishing a firearm and demanding money from Ms. Pickryl and her co-worker, 27-year-old Christy Diaz. When Ms. Pickryl hesitated to comply with Jackson’s demands, he shot her in the head. He then aimed the gun at Ms. Diaz and demanded she retrieve the store’s money. Despite her compliance, Jackson also attempted to shoot Ms. Diaz. The aggravated robbery was part of a crime spree in June 2009 that included robberies in Cuyahoga, Erie, and Lorain counties. (Jackson’s accomplices during the crime spree, Maurice Harrison, James Dixon, and Katrina Dickerson, were also convicted of various charges and received prison sentences.)
48) 1
Jackson, Kareem Franklin County
Summary of Crime: On 03/25/97, Jackson murdered Antorio Hunter and Terrance Walker at a Lupo Court Apartment. Jackson and Mr. Walker were acquaintances. Jackson and his accomplices, “Little Bee,” Michael Patterson, Derrick Boone and Malaika Williamson, went to the apartment to rob the men. After robbing them of $40, some marijuana and a cellular phone, Jackson shot Mr. Hunter and Mr. Walker in the head because they knew his name. (Jackson received the death penalty for both victims.)
49) 1
Jackson, Nathaniel E. Trumbull County
Summary of Crime: On 12/11/01, Jackson and his girlfriend, Donna Roberts, murdered Roberts’ former husband, 57- year-old Robert Fingerhut, at the home Roberts shared with Mr. Fingerhut in Howland Township. Roberts let Jackson into her home to wait for Mr. Fingerhut. When Mr. Fingerhut returned home from work, Jackson shot him twice in the back and once in the head, then stole his car. DNA testing on bloodstains found in Mr. Fingerhut’s car matched the profiles of Jackson and Mr. Fingerhut. Jackson admitted the shooting to police, but claimed it was committed in self-defense. (Donna Roberts also received a death sentence for the murder of Robert Fingerhut.
50) 1
Jalowiec, Stanley Lorain County
Summary of Crime: On 01/19/94, Jalowiec and an accomplice, Raymond Smith, murdered 30-year-old Ronald Lally in a Cleveland cemetery. Mr. Lally was a police informant who was scheduled to testify against Raymond and Danny Smith in a drug trafficking trial. On the morning of the trial, Jalowiec and Smith shot Mr. Lally in the head, cut his throat, stomped on him and ran him over with a car. The defendants bragged about the murder to their friends
51) 1
Jones, Odraye Ashtabula County
Summary of Crime: On 11/17/97, Jones murdered Ashtabula Police Officer William D. Glover, Jr., in Ashtabula. Officer Glover was shot while responding to a dispatcher’s call that Jones, who had outstanding felony warrants, had been spotted in Ashtabula. Jones fled on foot as Officer Glover approached him and a pursuit commenced. Soon thereafter, Jones pulled a gun from his pocket and fired several shots at Officer Glover. When Officer G
52) 1
Jones, Phillip Summit County
Summary of Crime: On 04/23/07, Phillip Jones raped and strangled 33-year-old Susan Marie Christian-Yates in Mount Peace Cemetery in Akron. Ms. Christian-Yates’ body was found in front of a gravestone with a plastic cross over her right eye. Jones had given an identical cross to his wife in 2006. Jones admitted to killing Ms. Yates, but claimed it was accidental during consensual sex
53) 2
Kinley, Juan Clark County
Summary of Crime: On 01/10/89, Kinley murdered his ex-girlfriend, 31-year-old Thelma Miller, and her 12-year-old son, David Miller, at a house where Ms. Miller worked as a housekeeper. Kinley had previously physically abused and threatened to kill Ms. Miller for dating other men. Kinley beat Ms. Miller and David to death by repeatedly hacking them in their heads and bodies with a machete. Kinley admitted the murders to his friend.
54) 4
Kirkland, Anthony Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On 05/04/06, Kirkland attacked, beat, attempted to rape, robbed, and murdered 14-year-old Casonya Crawford by strangling her. Kirkland then burned Casonya’s body, which authorities recovered in a secluded area with no clothing except one sock. On 03/07/09, Kirkland attacked, beat, attempted to rape, robbed, and murdered 13-yearold Esme Kenney by strangling her. Kirkland then partially burned Esme’s body, which authorities recovered in a secluded area with no clothing except shoes and socks. DNA consistent with Esme’s was found on Kirkland’s hands, genitals, and his boxer shorts. Kirkland confessed to the murders. (Kirkland was also convicted of the two separate murders of 45-yearold Mary Jo Newton and 25-year-old Kimya Rolison; he also burned their bodies.)
Knuff, Thomas Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 05/11/17, Knuff murdered 49-year-old Regina Capobianco and 65-year-old John Mann during an argument inside Mr. Mann’s Parma Heights home. Knuff, having been recently released from prison, moved into Mr. Mann’s home where Ms. Capobianco, Knuff’s former pen-pal, was also residing. During the argument, Knuff stabbed Mr. Mann 15 times, and stabbed Ms. Capobianco 6 times. Knuff then rolled their bodies in blankets, dragged them to a back bedroom, and covered them with garbage bags. He spent several days cleaning the crime scene—scrubbing down the walls and cutting out the living room carpeting. While in jail on other charges, Knuff sent a letter to a friend asking the friend to burn down the house to destroy the evidence, focusing the accelerant in the back bedroom, where the bodies were later located.
56) 6
Lamar, Keith Lawrence County
Summary of Crime: During the riot at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Lamar murdered five prison inmates, Darrell Depina, Bruce Vitale, William Svette, Dennis Weaver and Albert Staiano, whom Lamar believed were informants. When prison inmates held prison guards and other inmates hostage, Lamar formed a group of prison inmates, called the “Death Squad,” to kill “snitches.” Between 04/11/93 and 04/21/93, on five separate occasions, Lamar and his followers beat, strangled and stabbed each victim to death. At the time, Lamar was serving a sentence for a 1989 murder conviction. (Lamar received the death sentence for the aggravated murders of Mr. Depina, Mr. Vitale, Mr. Svette, and Mr. Weaver.)
57) 1
Landrum, Lawrence Ross County
Summary of Crime: On 09/19/85, Landrum murdered 84-year-old Harold White at his home in Chillicothe. Mr. White had previously shown Landrum his apartment, believing that Landrum wanted to rent it. Mr. White arrived home and caught Landrum and his juvenile accomplice, Grant Swackhammer, stealing money and nerve pills from his apartment. Landrum ordered Swackhammer to hit Mr. White on the head with a large railroad bolt, then Landrum attacked Mr. White and slit his throat with a kitchen knife. Landrum later bragged to several of his friends about the murder, offered to show them Mr. White’s body, and threatened to slit their throats if they told police.
58) 2
Lang, Edward Lee Stark County
Summary of Crime: On 10/22/06, Lang and his accomplice, Antonio Walker, murdered local drug dealer, Jaron Burditte and his friend Marnell Cheek. Lang contacted Mr. Burditte by cell phone to set up a drug deal while Lang and Walker planned to rob Mr. Burditte at gunpoint. When Mr. Burditte arrived at the agreed upon location, Lang entered the vehicle alone and almost instantaneously shot Mr. Burditte and Ms. Cheek in the head with a 9mm pistol.
59) 4
Lawson, Arron Lawrence County
Summary of Crime: On 10/11/17, Lawson murdered 24-year-old Stacey Holston, Stacey’s 8-year-old son, Devin Holston, Stacey’s 43-year-old mother, Tammy McGuire, and Stacey’s 50-year-old stepfather, Donald McGuire, and attempted to murder Stacey’s husband, Todd Holston, in the Holstons’ home. On the morning of the murders, Lawson entered the home via a window he previously opened and waited for Todd to go to work and Devin to go to school. Lawson then shot Stacey three times with a shotgun and raped her. Lawson, pretending to be Devin’s father, called the school to have Devin ride the bus home; he waited and killed Devin when he arrived home. Tammy and Donald went to check on Stacey after Todd had not been able to reach her during the day. Lawson shot and killed them both when they entered. Todd arrived and entered the house; Lawson stabbed him several times and then fled in the McGuires’ truck. Todd survived and identified Lawson as his attacker.
60) 1
Lindsey, Carl Brown County
Summary of Crime: On 02/10/97, at the request of co-defendant Joy Hoop, Lindsey murdered Joy’s husband, 36-yearold Donald Ray Hoop, in a parking lot outside a Mt. Orab bar. Lindsey shot Mr. Hoop in the face while Mr. Hoop sat in his car. After Mr. Hoop got out of his car, Lindsey shot him again in the forehead and stole $1,257.00 from his wallet. (Joy Hoop was convicted of conspiracy to co
61) 1
Lott, Gregory Cuyahoga County Summary of Crime: Lott murdered 82-year-old John McGrath at his East Cleveland home. On 07/13/86, Lott broke into Mr. McGrath’s home, doused him with flammable lamp oil, set him on fire, ransacked his home and then stole Mr. McGrath’s car. Mr. McGrath died in the hospital on 07/23/86.
62) 4
Loza, Jose Butler County
Summary of Crime: On 01/16/91, Loza murdered his girlfriend’s mother, 46-year-old Georgia Davis, his girlfriend’s brother, 25-year-old Gary Mullins, and his girlfriend’s sisters, 20-year-old Cheryl Senteno and 17-year-old Jerri Jackson, who was six months pregnant at the time, in their Middletown home. Ms. Davis had threatened to have Loza arrested if he tried to leave Ohio with her daughter (his girlfriend), who was a minor. Loza shot each of the victims in the head at close range while they slept in the house.
63) 1
Mack, Clarence Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 01/21/91, Mack murdered 59-year-old Peter Sanelli in a parking lot on Prospect Avenue in Cleveland. Mr. Sanelli was in his car when Mack and two accomplices, Thomas Sowell and Reginald Germany, carjacked Mr. Sanelli. Mack shot through the car window at Mr. Sanelli three times, killing him, and then pulled Mr. Sanelli’s body out of the car.
64) 3
Madison, Michael Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: Between October 2012 and July 2013, Michael Madison murdered three women: 28-year-old Shetisha Sheeley, 38-year-old Angela Deskins, and 18-year-old Shirellda Terry. Madison lured each victim to his apartment in East Cleveland, strangled them to death, and wrapped their bodies in multiple layers of garbage bags before disposing of them near his apartment. Madison later confessed to killing Ms. Sheeley and to moving Ms. Terry’s body out of his apartment. (Madison received the death penalty for all three victims.)
65) 3
Mammone III, James Stark County
Summary of Crime: On 06/08/09, Mammone murdered his two children, 5-year-old Macy Mammone and 3-year-old James Mammone IV, by stabbing the children as they were strapped in the car seats of Mammone’s vehicle. Mammone then went to the home of his ex-wife’s parents, where he murdered his ex-mother-in-law, 57-year-old Margaret J. Eakin, by shooting and brutally beating her. Mammone proceeded to his ex-wife’s home and forcefully entered with the intent of breaking both her ankles and rendering her barren using an axe handle with several protruding nails in one end. After learning his ex-wife was not alone, Mammone left the home and set fire to her companion’s truck with the use of an accelerant. Mammone then drove around with his deceased children in his vehicle before being apprehended hours later. Mammone confessed to police.
66) 1
Martin, David Trumbull County
Summary of Crime: On 09/27/12, Martin murdered 21-year-old Jeremy Cole and attempted to murder 30-year-old Melissa Putnam in Putnam’s Warren, Ohio home. Martin stole Mr. Cole’s cell phone, restrained him, and then shot him between the eyes at close range. Then in another room, Martin shot Ms. Putnam, but somehow she was able to shield her head; the bullet passed through her hand and lodged in the back of her head. Martin confessed to committing these crimes.
67) 1
Maxwell, Charles Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 11/27/05, Maxwell murdered his ex-girlfriend, 36-year-old Nichole McCorkle, in Cleveland. Four days before the murder Ms. McCorkle had testified before the grand jury that Maxwell had beat her, resulting in hospitalization. Initially Maxwell argued with, and then shot at, Ms. McCorkle’s sister who was trying to protect Ms. McCorkle, but she was able to escape unharmed. In retaliation for the testimony, Maxwell then shot Ms. McCorkle twice as their 3-year-old daughter watched.
68) 2
McAlpin, Joseph Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 04/14/17, McAlpin murdered 50-year-old Michael Kuznik and his wife, 46-year-old Trina Tomola-Kuznik. McAlpin entered the Kuzniks’ Cleveland-area used car dealership, Mr. Cars II, where he shot Michael twice in the head before shooting Trina in the back of the head as she attempted to run away; he also killed the couple’s dog. McAlpin then stole money from Michael’s back pockets, ransacked the business, rendezvoused with his accomplices, Jerome Diggs and Andrew Keener, stole two used cars from the lot, and drove away. McAlpin’s DNA was on Michael’s body, elsewhere inside the business, and in one of the stolen cars.
69) 2
72) 3
76) 1
79) 2
McKelton, Calvin S. Butler County
Summary of Crime: On 02/27/09, McKelton murdered 27-year-old Germaine Lamar Evans. In 2008, McKelton and Mr. Evans were at the home of Attorney Margaret “Missy” Allen in Fairfield. McKelton and Ms. Allen, who were in an on-again/offagain relationship, had an argument and McKelton strangled Ms. Allen. Mr. Evans was present at the time and drove with McKelton to Cincinnati, where they dumped Ms. Allen’s body. Police learned Mr. Evans may have witnessed Ms. Allen’s homicide and attempted to contact him. Within days of these attempts, McKelton fatally shot Mr. Evans in the back of the head to prevent him from testifying as a witness against McKelton in Ms. Allen’s homicide. McKelton’s DNA was located on a cigarette butt and on the garage door both at Ms. Allen’s home.
70) 2
McKnight, Gregory Vinton County
Summary of Crime: On 11/03/00, McKnight murdered 20-year-old Emily Murray near his trailer home in Ray. Ms. Murray worked with McKnight at a restaurant near Kenyon College, where she was a student. McKnight kidnapped Ms. Murray, shot her in the head, and wrapped her body inside a roll of carpet. McKnight was also convicted and received a life sentence for murdering his friend, 20-year-old Gregory Julious, whose skeletal remains were found in several locations around the trailer.
71) 1
McNeill, Freddie Lorain County
Summary of Crime: On 05/13/94, McNeill murdered 30-year-old Blake Fulton in Lorain. Mr. Fulton and an associate attempted to purchase drugs from McNeill. McNeill demanded money without producing the drugs. When Mr. Fulton refused to comply, McNeill shot him in the head.
Monroe, Jonathon D. Franklin County
Summary of Crime: On 04/17/96, Monroe murdered 31-year-old Travinna Simmons and 33-year-old Deccarla Quincy in Quincy’s Columbus apartment. Monroe and an accomplice, Shannon Boyd, believed that Ms. Simmons and Ms. Quincy had access to large amounts of drugs and money. Monroe forced Boyd to bind the women. Monroe then stabbed and shot each of the women in the head. At the time of his trial, Monroe was already serving a life sentence for an unrelated 1999 murder conviction.
73) 1
Moore, Lee Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On 01/14/94, Moore murdered 53-year-old Melvin Olinger in Cincinnati. Mr. Olinger was a Chicago businessman, visiting Ohio to see his parents and to attend a friend’s funeral. Moore and an accomplice abducted Mr. Olinger at gunpoint, forced him into the trunk of his car and drove to a factory area. Moore ordered Mr. Olinger out of the trunk, robbed him of his wallet and shot him in the head at close range.
74) 5
Moreland, Samuel Montgomery County
Summary of Crime: On 11/01/85, Moreland murdered his girlfriend, 46-year-old Glenna Green, her daughter, 23-yearold Lana Green, and her grandchildren, 7-year-old Daytrin Talbott, 6-year-old Datwan Talbott and 6-year-old Violana Green, in their Dayton home. Angry because Glenna would not give him money to buy beer, Moreland shot Glenna, Lana and Violana in their heads and pistol-whipped Daytrin and Datwan to death. Moreland was also convicted of attempted murder for shooting and pistol-whipping Glenna’s other three grandchildren who were also in the house.
75) 1
Mundt, Frederick Noble County
Summary of Crime: On 03/09/04, Mundt murdered his girlfriend’s daughter, 7-year-old Brittany Hendrickson, in a well in Noble County. Brittany had been living with Mundt in his home in Lebanon for the past five years, along with her mother and siblings. When Mundt was babysitting 7 year old Brittany, he raped Brittany, beat her about the head, face and body with rocks and concrete and drowned her in a covered well. DNA testing identified Mundt as the source of semen found in Brittany’s vagina and panties. Mundt confessed his involvement to his psychologist and mitigation specialist before trial.
Myers, Austin Warren County
Summary of Crime: On 01/28/14, Myers and co-defendant Timothy Mosley murdered 18-year-old Justin Back, a childhood friend of Myers, in his Wayne Township home. Myers and Mosley conspired to rob and murder Mr. Back, purchasing wire, ammonia, latex gloves, and septic tank enzymes. The pair went to Mr. Back’s home where Mosley unsuccessfully attempted to strangle Mr. Back; he instead repeatedly stabbed him to death while Myers restrained him. After stealing multiple items from the house, including a handgun, the pair cleaned the crime scene and placed Mr. Back’s body in the trunk of Mosley’s car. They disposed of Mr. Back’s body in a neighboring county after shooting him with the stolen handgun and pouring the septic tank enzymes on him to further decomposition.
77) 1
Myers, David Greene County
Summary of Crime: On 08/04/88, Myers murdered 18-year-old Amanda Maher on a segment of railroad tracks in Xenia. Ms. Maher had met Myers at a bar, and Myers agreed to take her home. Myers robbed Ms. Maher, sexually assaulted her, and drove a railroad spike through her head. While awaiting trial, Myers bragged to a fellow jail inmate about how he murdered Ms. Maher.
78) 2
Neyland, Calvin Wood County
Summary of Crime: On 08/08/07, Neyland shot and killed his boss, 44-year-old Douglas Smith, multiple times in the head and chest in Perrysburg. Mr. Smith had just fired Neyland. Neyland proceeded to the parking lot where he then shot and killed former trooper, 58-year-old Thomas Lazer, who had been dispatched to the scene.
Nicholson, Matthew Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 09/05/18, Nicholson murdered 17-year-old Manuel Lopez and 19-year-old Giselle Lopez, the children of his girlfriend, America Polanco, in the yard of their Garfield Heights home. Nicholson, who had a history of domestic violence, attacked Polanco in their bedroom and choked her. When Manuel came to the bedroom door to ask what was going on, Nicholson attacked him as well. Nicholson then retrieved the handgun he kept under the mattress, followed Manuel and Giselle outside, and shot both of them repeatedly in the back as they attempted to run away. Nicholson shot Manuel eight times and Giselle five times. (Nicholson received the death penalty for both victims).
80) 2
Noling, Tyrone L. Portage County
Summary of Crime: On 04/05/90, Noling murdered an 81-year-old couple, Bearnhardt and Cora Hartig, at their home in Atwater Township. The Hartigs were the target of a plan between Noling and his accomplice, Gary St. Clair, to rob elderly people. When Mrs. Hartig opened the door, Noling and St. Clair pushed their way into the house and robbed them. During the robbery, Noling shot Mr. and Mrs. Hartig multiple times at close range.
81) 2
Obermiller, Denny Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 08/11/10, Denny Obermiller murdered his grandmother, Candace Schneider, age 61, and her husband, 60-year-old Donald Schneider, in their Maple Heights home. The couple was found in separate rooms in the house, handcuffed and strangled. Obermiller raped Mrs. Schneider and strangled her with an electrical cord. The Schneiders suspected Obermiller had stolen from them while they were on vacation, and they had reported their suspicions to police prior to the murders.
82) 1
89) 1
O’Neal, James Derrick Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On 12/11/93, O’Neal murdered his estranged wife, 31-year-old Carol Ann O’Neal, at her home in Cincinnati. Ms. O’Neal had filed for a protection order against O’Neal, who had brutally beaten her before moving out of their home. O’Neal kicked in the front door and chased Ms. O’Neal upstairs. When Ms. O’Neal closed a bedroom door to keep O’Neal out, O’Neal shot through the door, entered the room and shot Ms. O’Neal, who had fallen to the floor.
83) 1
Osie, Gregory Butler County
Summary of Crime: In the early morning of 02/14/09, Osie murdered 53-year-old David Williams in Liberty Township. Osie entered Mr. Williams’ home and attempted to persuade Mr. Williams not to testify in a criminal proceeding against him or his girlfriend. When Osie’s attempted coercion did not work, Osie became enraged and assaulted, and eventually killed, Mr. Williams. Osie stabbed Mr. Williams with a knife several times in addition to slashing Mr. Williams’ throat before Mr. Williams succumbed. Osie then informed his girlfriend that her troubles were over and that the voice of the witness against her had been silenced.
84) 1
Perez, Kerry D. Clark County
Summary of Crime: On 03/06/03, Perez murdered 43-year-old Ronald Johnson during an attempted robbery of the Do Drop Inn Bar in Clark County. Perez shot Mr. Johnson in the back. Perez and an accomplice pulled a series of liquor establishment robberies, one of which involved the attempted murder of another individual on 06/22/02.
85) 3
Pickens, Mark Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On or around 06/02/09, Pickens murdered 19-year-old Noelle Washington to prevent her from pursuing charges against Pickens for a rape that occurred days prior. The murder occurred at Ms. Washington’s apartment in Cincinnati at a time when Ms. Washington was with her 9-month-old child, Anthony Jones III, and was babysitting 3- year-old Sha’Railyn Wright. Pickens shot and killed Ms. Washington as well as both children.
86) 4
Powell, Wayne Lucas County
Summary of Crime: On 11/11/06, Powell murdered his ex-girlfriend, 33-year-old Mary McCollum, her mother 52-yearold Rose McCollum, her son 4-year-old Jamal McCollum-Myers, and her niece 2-year-old Sanaa Thomas in Toledo. The night before, Powell and Mary had been arguing. Powell then set fire to the McCollum house leaving the victims to burn to death.
87) 1
Raglin, Walter Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On 12/29/95, Raglin murdered 41-year-old Michael Bany in a Cincinnati parking lot. Mr. Bany was the target of a plan between Raglin and his accomplice, Darnell Lowery, to rob a vulnerable victim. When Mr. Bany, carrying musical equipment, tried to unlock his car door, Raglin approached Mr. Bany and demanded money. Mr. Bany handed Raglin $60, but as Mr. Bany turned to face Raglin, Raglin shot him in the neck.
88) 3
Robb, Jason Franklin County
Summary of Crime: During the riot at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Robb murdered 40-year-old prison guard Robert Vallandingham and prison inmate 31-year-old David Sommers. Robb, the leader of the prison’s Aryan Brotherhood, along with other prison inmates, held prison guards and inmates hostage. On 04/15/93, Robb, Carlos Sanders (the leader of the prison’s Muslim group) and inmate James Were ordered inmates to strangle Mr. Vallandingham to death. On 04/21/93, Robb arranged for inmates to stab, choke and beat Mr. Sommers to death. At the time, Robb was serving a sentence for voluntary manslaughter. (Sanders, Were and George Skatzes also received death sentences arising from the riot.)
Roberts, Donna Marie Trumbull County
Summary of Crime: On 12/11/01, Roberts and her boyfriend, Nathaniel Jackson, murdered her former husband, 57- year-old Robert Fingerhut, at the home Roberts and Mr. Fingerhut shared in Howland Township. Roberts gave Jackson entry into her home where he shot Mr. Fingerhut twice in the back and once in the head. Roberts and Jackson had planned the murder for months prior to Jackson’s release from prison. (Jackson also received a death sentence for the murder of Mr. Fingerhut.)
90) 1
Rojas, Martin J. Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On 05/14/87, Rojas murdered his fellow church member, 28-year-old Rebecca Scott, in her Cincinnati apartment. Ms. Scott had devoted herself to weaning Rojas from drugs and alcohol, but she rejected his advances to be his girlfriend. Rojas hid outside Ms. Scott’s apartment, dragged her by the hair inside the apartment when she arrived home and stabbed her twice in the back. After stabbing her in the back, Rojas raped Ms. Scott twice, stabbed her in the chest, stole $25 from her purse and left her to bleed to death after unsuccessfully trying to set the house on fire.
91) 1
Sanders, Carlos Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: During the riot at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Sanders murdered prison guard, 40-yearold Robert Vallandingham. Sanders was the leader of the Muslims at the prison, who along with other prison inmates, held prison guards and inmates hostage. On 04/15/93, Sanders, Jason Robb (the leader of the prison’s Aryan Brotherhood), and inmate James Were, ordered inmates to strangle Mr. Vallandingham to death. At the time, Sanders was serving a sentence for aggravated robbery.
92) 3
Sapp, William K. Clark County
Summary of Crime: On 08/22/92, Sapp murdered 11-year-old Martha Leach and 12-year-old Phree Morrow near downtown Springfield. Sapp raped Martha and Phree and then beat them to death. Sapp was connected to the rapes and murders through DNA testing in 1996. Between 1993 and 1995, Sapp murdered 31-year-old Belinda Anderson and buried her body in a garage floor. Sapp was also convicted for the 1993 attempted murder of Hazel Pearson. Sapp confessed to the crimes against Martha, Phree, Ms. Anderson and Ms. Pearson. At the time of his trial in 1997, Sapp was serving a prison sentence for assaulting and attempting to rape another Springfield woman in 1993.
93) 2
Scott, Michael Dean Stark County
Summary of Crime: On 09/12/99, Scott murdered 21-year-old Ryan Stoffer in Jackson Township. Mr. Stoffer was teaching Scott and his girlfriend how to drive a stick-shift, thinking that the couple wanted to buy his car. Scott shot Mr. Stoffer six times in the back of the head, dumped his body in the woods and stole his car. Earlier, on 08/24/99, Scott murdered 19-year-old Dallas Green, by shooting him when Scott thought that Mr. Green had insulted him.
94) 2
Short, Duane Allen Montgomery County
Summary of Crime: On 07/22/04, Short murdered his estranged wife, 31-year-old Rhonda Michelle Short, and her friend, 32-year-old Donnie Ray Sweeney, at Rhonda’s residence in Huber Heights. Short shot Mr. Sweeney with a sawed-off shotgun in the yard, then went inside the house and shot Rhonda.
95) 4
Singh, Gurpreet Butler County
Summary of Crime: On 04/28/19, Gurpreet Singh murdered his wife, 38-year-old Shalinderjit Kaur; her parents, 58- year-old Hakiakat Pannag and 61-year-old Parmjit Kaur; and her aunt, 57-year-old Amarjit Kaur who was visiting from India, in their West Chester, Ohio apartment. Having made arrangements for his children to be elsewhere for the night, Singh returned home from work, shot each victim multiple times in the head, disposed of the gun in a retaining pond, and then made a staged 911 call. Singh was found covered in the victims’ blood and was also found to have gunshot residue on both of his hands. The investigation revealed Singh had been carrying on a years-long extramarital affair with a younger woman in Indianapolis and was also under increasing financial stress.
96) 4
Skatzes, George Montgomery County
Summary of Crime: During the riot at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Skatzes and other inmates murdered 40- year-old prison guard Robert Vallandingham, and two inmates, 31-year-old David Sommers and 41-year-old Earl Elder. Skatzes, a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, along with other prison inmates, held prison guards and inmates hostage. On 04/15/93, Muslim inmates strangled Mr. Vallandingham to death. Skatzes directed another inmate to stab Mr. Elder numerous times. On 04/21/93, Skatzes beat Mr. Sommers to death. Skatzes received a death sentence for the aggravated murders of Mr. Sommers and Mr. Elder. At the time, Skatzes was serving a life sentence for a 1983 aggravated murder.
97) 2
Smith, Kenneth W. Butler County
Summary of Crime: On 05/12/95, Smith murdered 58-year-old Lewis Ray and 54-year-old Ruth Ray in their Hamilton home. Mr. Ray had previously lent Smith $2,500, which Smith had not repaid. Smith struck Mr. Ray in the face with a hammer, slit his throat and signaled to his brother, Randy Smith, to choke Mrs. Ray to death. Then Smith and his brother stole jewelry and money from the house. Smith confessed to police after bragging to his friend about the murder and showing him the stolen jewelry.
98) 2, another paralyzed for life
Spaulding, Dawud Summit County
Summary of Crime: On 12/15/11, Dawud Spaulding murdered his estranged girlfriend and mother of two of his children, 28-year-old Erica Singleton and her new boyfriend, 31-year-old Ernest Thomas at Mr. Thomas’ Akron home. Looking for Ms. Singleton, Spaulding went to Mr. Thomas’ house where he encountered Mr. Thomas’ nephew, 24-year-old Patrick Griffin, and shot him in the back, severing his spine and leaving him paralyzed. Several hours later, Spaulding returned to the home and shot Ms. Singleton and Mr. Thomas in the back of their heads. Ms. Singleton had a protection order against Spaulding at the time of her murder.
99) 1
Stojetz, John Madison County
Summary of Crime: On 04/25/96, Stojetz murdered 17-year-old Damico Watkins at Madison Correctional Institution. Mr. Watkins was a black juvenile inmate, and Stojetz was an adult inmate and head of the Aryan Brotherhood whose members refused to be housed in the same cells as black inmates. Stojetz and five other adult inmates, all followers of the Aryan Brotherhood, attacked Mr. Watkins and repeatedly stabbed him with shanks (homemade knives). When Mr. Watkins escaped his attackers and pled for his life, Stojetz cornered him and stabbed him to death
100) 1
Stumpf, John David Guernsey County
Summary of Crime: On 05/13/84, Stumpf murdered 54-year-old Mary Jane Stout and attempted to murder Norman Stout in their home adjacent to I-70 and County Road 44. The Stouts had invited Stumpf and his accomplice, Clyde Wesley, into their home to use the telephone. While Wesley ransacked the house, Stumpf shot Mr. Stout twice in the head, seriously wounding him. Stumpf then turned to Mrs. Stout, who had witnessed her husband’s shooting, and fatally shot her four times.
101) 1
Tench, James Medina County
Summary of Crime: On 11/12/13, Tench murdered his 55-year-old mother, Mary Tench, to prevent her from telling the police Tench had been forging her checks and fraudulently using her credit cards. Tench kidnapped Mary from the Medina home they shared, using tape, a tarp and gloves he had previously purchased. Mary’s body was later discovered with duct tape around her neck inside her SUV which had been abandoned in a field near her home. Her purse was located in a nearby retention pond. Evidence showed Tench ran Mary over with her SUV, and that she was alive for at least 20 minutes following her attack. After killing his mother, Tench used her credit card to purchase shampoo and body wash.
102) 1
Thompson, Ashford L. Summit County
Summary of Crime: On 07/13/08, Thompson murdered 33-year-old Joshua Miktarian, a police officer for the City of Twinsburg. Officer Miktarian made a traffic stop of Thompson’s vehicle and a struggle ensued. Thompson pulled a gun from his pocket and fired five to six shots at Officer Miktarian. Four of those bullets struck Officer Miktarian in the head.
103) 3
Trimble, James E. Portage County
Summary of Crime: On 01/21/05, Trimble murdered his live-in girlfriend, Renee Bauer, and her 7-year-old son, Dakota Bauer, after she threatened to leave him. Trimble fired 13 rounds from his assault rifle into Renee with several others passing through her body and striking her son, Dakota. The next morning, Trimble shot and killed 23-year-old Sarah Positano, a college student from Ontario, Canada, while he held her hostage inside her Kent State University apartment.
104) 1
Twyford III, Raymond Jefferson County
Summary of Crime: On 09/22/92, Twyford and his accomplice, Daniel Eikelberry, murdered 37-year-old Richard Franks. The daughter of Twyford’s girlfriend had told Twyford that she was raped by Mr. Franks, who Twyford then planned to kill. Twyford and Eikelberry lured Mr. Franks to a remote location on the pretense that they were going deer hunting. Twyford shot Mr. Franks in the back, then Twyford and Eikelberry repeatedly shot Mr. Franks in the head, cut his hands off and stole his wallet.
105) 1
Were, James Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: During the riot at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Were murdered Robert Vallandingham, a prison guard. Were was an inmate, who along with other prison inmates, held prison guards and inmates hostage. On 04/15/93, Were, Jason Robb, who was the leader of the prison’s Aryan Brotherhood, and Carlos Sanders, who was the leader of the prison’s Muslim group, ordered inmates to strangle Mr. Vallandingham to death with a cord and baseball bat.
106) 1
Wesson, Hersie R. Summit County
Summary of Crime: On 02/25/08, Wesson murdered 81-year-old Emil Varhola and attempted to murder 77-year-old Mary Varhola in their Akron home. Wesson went to the Varhola home to steal a gun so he could shoot his girlfriend who had just broken up with him. Wesson stabbed Mr. Varhola five times. Wesson stabbed Mrs. Varhola multiple times; she survived by pretending to be dead.
107) 1
Whitaker, Christopher Cuyahoga County
Summary of Crime: On 01/26/17, Whitaker kidnapped, raped and murdered 14-year-old Alianna DeFreeze. Video surveillance showed Whitaker approaching Alianna and then leading her across a field towards the house in which her body was located three days later. Police located Alianna’s mostly nude body in a room of the house, but her clothing and a condom wrapper were found in another room. DNA evidence found inside her body matched Whitaker, and Alianna’s DNA was found on tools and other items seized from the home, including a drill, screwdriver, knives, a hammer, and a nut driver.
108) 1
Wilks, Jr., Willie Gene Mahoning County
Summary of Crime: On 05/21/13, Wilks murdered 20-year-old Orora Wilkins on a porch of a Youngstown, Ohio home. Wilks was dating Ms. Wilkins’ mother. Earlier in the day, Wilks had argued with Ms. Wilkins’ brother, William, over the telephone. Wilks then arrived at the home of Mr. Wilkins’ girlfriend where Mr. Wilkins, Ms. Wilkins, and Alex Morales were visiting. Wilks shot Ms. Wilkins in the head with an AK-47 and shot Mr. Morales in the back as he was attempting to flee with a 5-month-old child in his arms; the child was unharmed. Wilks then shot at, but missed, Mr. Wilkins who was looking out an upstairs bedroom window.
109) 1
Williams, Andre Trumbull County Summary of Crime: On 08/15/88, Williams and an accomplice, Christopher Daniel, murdered 65-year-old George Melnick and attempted to murder Katherine Melnick in their Warren home. After forcing their way into the house, Williams and Daniel beat the Melnicks with a brick, an ax handle and a lamp, killing Mr. Melnick and severely injuring Mrs. Melnick. Williams also attempted to rape Mrs. Melnick. Williams and Daniel bragged to several friends about beating and robbing the elderly couple, and Williams even demonstrated what he had done
110) 1
Williams, Clifford Butler County
Summary of Crime: On 08/03/90, Williams murdered 39-year-old Wayman Hamilton in downtown Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton was a cab driver who had picked up Williams. Williams shot Mr. Hamilton in the forehead and stole his money. Three days later, Williams robbed and shot another man who had picked up Williams while he was hitchhiking, but the man survived.
111) 1
Williams, Jr., Robert Lucas County
Summary of Crime: On 02/18/99, Williams murdered 88-year-old Velma MacDowell in her Toledo apartment. Ms. MacDowell lived in the same apartment building as Williams’ friend’s mother. Williams broke into Ms. MacDowell’s home, stuffed a rag in her mouth, raped her, beat her in the face, strangled her to death with a pair of her pantyhose and stole $300 from her purse.
112) 1
Wogenstahl, Jeffrey Hamilton County
Summary of Crime: On 11/24/91, Wogenstahl murdered 10-year-old Amber Garrett of Harrison, Ohio. Amber was the daughter of Wogenstahl’s friend. Wogenstahl kidnapped Amber as she slept in her bed, stabbed her 11 times in the chest and neck, beat her with a car jack handle, and dumped her body in a heavily wooded area in West Harrison, Indiana. Wogenstahl admitted to a fellow inmate that he had kidnapped Amber to rape her. DNA testing, conducted during federal appeals in 2001, identified Amber as the source of blood in Wogenstahl’s car
113) 1
Worley, James Fulton County
Summary of Crime: On 07/19/16, Worley kidnapped and murdered 20-year-old Sierah Joughin while she was out riding her bicycle in rural Fulton County. On the side of the road, investigators found blood matching Joughin’s DNA on cornstalks, items belonging to Worley, and tire tracks in the cornfield which matched Worley’s truck. Ms. Joughin’s body was found buried in a cornfield gagged with a modified dog toy, bound with rope, handcuffed, and dressed in clothing similar to items found in Worley’s barn. Ms. Joughin’s DNA was also located on several other items located in Worley’s barn which housed a mattress and additional restraints.
