AKRON, Ohio — Two people convicted in connection to the death 18-year-old Samantha Guthrie—who was murdered and later found under leaves and branches in a wooded area—were sentenced in the courtroom of Visiting Judge Patricia Cosgrove on Wednesday.
William Alexander, 39, of Akron, was given the maximum sentence of 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty on April 10 to attempted kidnapping, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse, according to Summit County Prosecutors.
The second defendant, Dylan Brown, 19, of Akron, was sentenced to five years community control after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs and obstructing justice. Prosecutors said the attempted kidnapping charge filed against Brown was dropped, a move that was in agreement with Guthrie’s family and law enforcement.
Guthrie was last seen inside an abandoned drug house on Lillian Street near the Akron Zoo in November 2018. For several weeks, her family put up missing person signs throughout Akron and searched for her body. On Nov. 25, her body was found under leaves and branches in a wooded area off Rex Hill Road in New Franklin.
The Summit County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide after she was shot in the head and suffered three cuts on her neck.
On Sept. 30., two other people were convicted and sentenced in connection to her murder.
Danny Hamby, who pleaded guilty a week before to murder, having a weapon under disability, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse, was sentenced to 24 years to life.
Toni Kenney, who pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence, gross abuse of a corpse and kidnapping, was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
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