CLEVELAND — The suspect accused of killing three people last November in Cleveland's Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Friday morning in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
According to court records, Kielonte Harris, 25, is charged with the following:
- Six counts of aggravated murder
- Three counts of murder
- One count of aggravated robbery
- One count of aggravated burglary
- One count of kidnapping
- Three counts of felonious assault
- Two counts of having weapons under disability
The shooting happened on Nov. 2, 2019, in the 7800 block of Lorain Avenue. Authorities said the victims had been at a party where an argument broke out.
In the aftermath of the shooting, two victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Another victim was transported to a nearby hospital where she later died from her injuries. Each of the victims had been shot in the head, according to police.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victims as 36-year-old April Lynn Magana, 26-year-old Muriel Nicole Tursivio, and 31-year-old Joseph Eujean Clyton Meeks III.
The U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Harris within hours of the shooting.
“This was a cold-blooded murder where the defendant executed his first victim and then executed two witnesses outside the apartment in an attempt to cover his tracks. Harris was paroled from prison 78 days prior to committing this triple homicide,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said.
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records state that Harris was released on Aug. 16 after serving a sentence for drug trafficking.
Harris is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 5 at 9 a.m.
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