AKRON, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio man has avoided the death penalty in the killing of a 16-year-old pregnant girl.
Although 26-year-old David Stoddard of Barberton, near Akron, will avoid execution, a Summit County jury decided Friday that he must spend the rest of his life in prison for aggravated murder, reckless homicide and other crimes.
Formal sentencing and statements from the family and friends of 16-year-old Anna Karam are set for May 23.
Police say Anna was baby-sitting at an Akron home on Jan. 6, 2013, when Stoddard came in through a back door and started firing.
Anna, who was four months pregnant, was killed. A 19-year-old woman was shot in the head but survived.
Witnesses said Stoddard had been looking for his ex-girlfriend, who wasn’t there at the time.
Stoddard’s attorney, Jonathan Sinn, argued to jurors that Stoddard deserved to be spared from the death penalty because of what he described as his client’s horrific childhood. He said it was rife with physical abuse and numerous hospital visits.
“He was raised by wolves,” Sinn said.
Anna’s older brother, Tyler Karam, 23, said he has no sympathy for Stoddard and is satisfied that he’ll be behind bars the rest of his life.
“He crushed my whole family,” Karam said. “He deserves everything he gets.”
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Information from: Akron Beacon Journal, https://www.ohio.com
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