CLEVELAND — A man convicted for the brutal beating death of a 74-year-old Cleveland landscape company owner in 2019 was given a sentence of at least 15 years to life in prison.
The defendant, Sedrick Hawkins, 26, previously pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated burglary for the brutal beating death of Larry Manno, 74.
Judge Michael Russo sentenced Hawkins to 15 years to life for the murder charge and eight to 12 years for the aggravated burglary charge.
"It's a sad day for two families,” Russo said.
Manno was found by one of his employees at his Buckeye Road office in September 2019. His business had been ransacked. His pockets were turned inside out and he was bleeding from the head. He died weeks later after the beating left him with critical injuries.
Manno was a fixture in the Cleveland community for decades, having operated Manno Landscaping for more than 30 years. Manno’s death left community leaders asking for more officers on the street, particularly in Cleveland’s Fourth District.
Hawkins was arrested in October 2020 after investigators received a tip from the community. He was held on a $1 million bond and charged for Manno's death.
Hawkins apologized during the sentencing, telling the family he "messed up."
The defense said Hawkins was hired to do odd jobs by Manno. When he came to get paid, prosecutors said Manno had dementia and didn't remember, so Hawkins got mad and a fight started.
Manno's wife told the court, "This man is a monster — what he did to my husband was the most inhumane. We had to watch him die in the hospital."
Manno's brother also addressed the court.
"He's a predator, he needs to be taken off the streets," he said.
RELATED: Man accused in fatal beating of Cleveland landscaping business owner held on $1 million bond
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