Richard Beasley – white, age 51
Sentenced to death in Summit County, Ohio
By: a jury
Date of crime: 8/9/11, 10/23/11, 11/13/11
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Richard Beasley and a 16-year-old cohort became known as the “Craigslist killers” by luring 4 men to an isolated property via an ad for a paid caretaker, then killing 3 of them—Ralph Geiger, David Pauley, and Timothy Kern—and attempting to kill the fourth, who managed to escape and to testify against Beasley at trial. The defense presented mitigating evidence that Beasley had a troubled childhood, and suffered from depression, alcohol abuse, low self-esteem, and a feeling of isolation.
Sources: Akron Beacon J. 4/5/13; AP Online Reg. 3/21/13
Steven Cepec – white, age 40
Sentenced to death in Medina County, Ohio
By: a jury
Date of crime: 6/3/10
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Cepec burglarized and robbed the home of his neighbor, 73-year-old Frank Munz, and beat and strangled Munz to death. Cepec had been released from prison to a halfway house just days before the murder. He fled the halfway house after spending only a few hours there. The defense presented evidence that Cepec had a long history of mental problems and substance abuse.
Sources: Plain Dealer (Cleveland) 5/28/12
Curtis Clinton – black, age 41
Sentenced to death in Erie County, Ohio
By: a jury
Date of crime: 9/12
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Clinton broke into the home of Heather Jackson and strangled her and her 2 children—3 year-old Celina and 20-month-old Wayne. He also sexually assaulted Celina. At the trial he was also convicted of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl 6 days before the homicides. Curtis committed these homicides 7 months after his release from prison after serving 13 years for a murder in 1997. Clinton was the only defense witness at the penalty phase—he said he had gone to Jackson’s home that night and had sex with her, but did not commit the murders.
Sources: US Official News (Pak.) 11/14/13; Blade (Toledo, Ohio) 11/12/13, 11/15/13.
Dawud El Spaulding – black, age 28
Sentenced to death in Summit County, Ohio
By: a jury
Date of Crime: December 2011
Prosecution’s Case/Defense Response: Spaulding was convicted of killing Ernest Thomas and Erica Singleton, mother of Spaulding’s children. Singleton had filed for a protective order from Spaulding and was trying to hide from him when he found her. Both victims were shot by Spaulding in front of Thomas’s home. Earlier in the day he had shot and paralyzed a man. Spaulding did not offer any statements to the court during the penalty phase and had stated earlier “I just want to get this over with.”
Sources: Akron Beacon Journal 2/16/13.