The man from Akron charged with killing nine people in two arsons was pronounced the verdict of guilty on Tuesday. A Summit County jury sentenced Stanley Ford on each count of aggravated murder. Including one count of arson for a car blaze in January 2017, he received an acquittal on three counts.
Statements to conclude the trial was carried out on Monday in the courtroom of Summit County Common Pleas Judge Christine Croce. Afterward, the jury went into chambers. Ford was arraigned for deliberately starting two house fires on Akron’s Fultz Street.
Summit County judges imposed guilty rulings against the 62-year-old on 26 of 29 indictments. These include 22 counts of aggravated murder. The same jurors will announce the following week on their verdict whether Ford should be imposed the death penalty.
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Ford is currently pronounced guilty of more murders than any other individual in the history of Summit County. He is being taken into custody at the Summit County Jail without bond. His trial in Croce’s courtroom commenced on August 30.
The step of sentencing will commence on Monday. Ford faced almost 30 charges connected with three Akron in Ohio fires back in 2016 and 2017. Two of such were fatal. Judges heard from fire investigators, Akron police officials, Ford’s neighbors, and the victims’ relatives over the course of witness testimony.
On April 18, 2016, at 719 Fultz Avenue, Gloria Jean Hart and her partner Lindell Lewis were set fire to death. Aside from Hart and Lewis’ death, the second fire transpired on Jan. 23, 2017, at 723 Russell Avenue. A Dodge Durango was set on fire and no individual was wounded. The third blaze transpired on May 15, 2017, at 693 Fultz Avenue. Seven fatalities were recorded.
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