Jury finds man guilty of killing married couple at Cleveland car dealership
04/16/2019 7:02 pm PDT
via WJW:
CLEVELAND (WJW) -- A man has been found guilty of killing two people at a car dealership on Cleveland's east side in 2017.
Joseph McAlpin, 29, was charged with aggravated murder, murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, kidnapping, grand theft and cruelty to animals.
He was found guilty on all counts against him.
McAlpin could be sentenced to death. The sentencing phase of the trial begins Monday.
McAlpin represented himself during the trial and did not call any witnesses before resting his case.
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office said McAlpin and two co-defendants went to Mr. Cars in the Collinwood neighborhood on April 14, 2017 to steal vehicles.
While the other two men waited down the street, McAlpin shot and killed Michael Kuznik, 50, and Trina Tomola-Kuznik, 46, according to prosecutors. He was also accused of, and now convicted of, killing the family dog before the group stole two cars from the lot.
The couple's 19-year-old son discovered their bodies inside the family-owned business.
MORE: Jury finds man guilty of killing two people at Cleveland car dealership - WJW