(ASHTABULA, Ohio) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced today the conviction of the sixth and final suspect linked earlier this year to the 1997 murder of an Ashtabula man.
A jury today found John Drummond Jr. guilty of aggravated murder, kidnapping, and gun specifications following a trial prosecuted by attorneys with the Ohio Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Section.
"Even when a case is years old, it's still possible to achieve justice," Attorney General DeWine said. "This is one reason why we continue to highlight unsolved homicides and encourage anyone with information to come forward."
Drummond was one of six men indicted earlier this year in connection with the February 1997 shooting death of Ronald Hull in Ashtabula.
Stephen Boles, George Church, Eric Weaver, Jawann Evans, and Troy Jones all pleaded guilty to kidnapping charges for their roles in the crime. Each was sentenced to serve time in prison.
Drummond was identified by witnesses as the gunman and is facing a minimum of 28 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on Friday.
Drummond is already serving a death sentence for the murder of a three-month old child during a drive-by shooting in Youngstown in 2003. A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Drummond should receive a new trial in that case due to an error made by the trial judge. Prosecutors with the Attorney General's Capital Crimes Unit are reviewing the appeals court decision.
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