Shawn Grate

Shawn Grate
Ashland County Sheriff's Office mugshot
Born Shawn Michael Grate
(1976-08-08) August 8, 1976
Nationality American
Known for Convicted serial killings 2005 or 2006, 2015-2016
Home town Marion, Ohio[1]
Criminal status Awaiting execution
Spouse(s) Amber Grate
Conviction(s) Murder (2 counts) (May 7, 2018)
Criminal penalty Death penalty (June 1, 2018)
Details
Victims 5 known (one known as "Jane Doe" who was kidnapped and raped multiple times was able to escape); Multiple bodies found, believed to be victims of Grate.
Country United States
State(s) Ohio
Location(s) Ashland County, Marion County, Richland County
Date apprehended
 September 13, 2016

Shawn Michael Grate (born August 8, 1976[2]) is an American convicted serial killer who was convicted on two counts of aggravated murder on May 7th, 2018, in Ashland County, Ohio.

Biography

Grate graduated from River Valley High School in 1995.[3]

A grand jury indicted Grate on two counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of two women, Stacey Stanley and Elizabeth Griffith, and the kidnapping and multiple sexual assaults of an unidentified woman whose 911 call to Ashland police led to Grate's arrest on September 13, 2016. In court documents, her name has been redacted; she is being referred to as "Jane Doe". In total, Grate was indicted on 23 counts, all first, second, or third-degree felonies; lesser charges include breaking and entering, burglary, and tampering with evidence.[4] He was represented in court by court-appointed attorney Rolf Whitney,[5] who entered a plea of not guilty on all charges on behalf of Grate.[6] In a press interview, however, Grate confessed to five murders.[7] Grate's attorneys later filed a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.[8] His trial date was set for November 6, 2017,[9] and was later delayed to April 9, 2018.[10][11][12]

Ashland County prosecutor Christopher R. Tunnell said that given the "...depraved actions and the gruesome evidence", he would seek the death penalty.[13]

Shawn Grate has also been charged in the deaths of his former girlfriend Candice Cunningham and Rebekah Leicy in neighboring Richland County,[14] and has not yet been charged in the death of an unknown woman who died between 2005 and 2006 who was found in 2007 in Marion County.[15] However, in the second of two letters he sent to Cleveland news station WEWS (News 5 Cleveland) reporter Megan Hickey, Grate attributed his motives to "government assistance", writing that it took his victims' minds. "They were already dead, just their bodies were flopping wherever it can flop but their minds were already dead! The state took their minds. Once they started receiving their monthly checks". Grate claimed he once received a $197 food card and that he, "Never was able to receive any encouragement, though many bodies received 700".[16]

After Grate had given out details of the murders to two different news organizations while in custody, attorneys for the defense and prosecution jointly requested and obtained a gag order preventing Grate from communicating any further with the media.[17] On January 6, 2017, a competency hearing determined Grate is fit to stand trial.[18] An evaluation released March 6 based on a January 17 assessment to evaluate Grate's claim of insanity declared that he was not insane at the time the crimes were committed.[19][20] Grate's counsel then withdrew the plea of not guilty by reason of insanity on April 7, 2017.[21]

363 Covert Court in Ashland, OH where Grate was arrested, a public memorial is in front of the house.

In a settlement with the owner, the City of Ashland obtained ownership of the house where Grate was apprehended, two bodies were discovered, and a kidnapped woman was rescued by police. The city is pursuing a federal grant with the intention of demolishing the house.[22][23]

“There is a settlement agreement among the parties that essentially obligates the Pump House to transfer all property that is the subject of this action to the city of Ashland and transfer their title there too, provided that the city pays off the sums owed to the county for delinquent taxes and to the Muskingum Watershed District,” said Andrew Bush, assistant law director for the city of Ashland.[22]

Trial

Grate's trial for the Ashland crimes began with two weeks of jury selection on April 9, 2018.[24] The trial began with opening statements on April 23.[25] On May 2, Grate pleaded guilty to 15 of the charges against him.[26][27] On May 7, Grate was found guilty of murdering Stacey Stanley and Elizabeth Griffith.[28][29][30] On June 1, Grate was sentenced to death.[31][32] A tentative execution date was set upon conviction for September 13, 2018, however the execution is unlikely to take place on this date unless Grate waives his right to appeal his conviction and sentence.[31]

Victims

Kidnapping Victim

While Grate slept, the victim identified by the indictment only as "Jane Doe"[2] called 911 from the Ashland house where Grate had held her for three days. She was safely rescued by Ashland police. Because she was the victim of a sexual assault, police declined to reveal her identity.[33] Grate claims he did not plan to kill her and that they were going to get married.[7]

Stacey Stanley A.K.A. Stacey Hicks

Stanley's family had reported her missing the week before Grate was arrested. Her body was found at the Ashland house where Grate was arrested.[34] She is also known as Stacy Hicks. An autopsy concluded she was strangled to death.[35]

Elizabeth Griffith

Griffith had been missing for about a month before Grate was arrested. Her body was found at the Ashland house where Grate was arrested.[34] An autopsy concluded she was strangled to death.[35]

Candice Cunningham

Grate led police to what he claimed was Cunningham's body in neighboring Richland County on the day of his arrest.[36] Police found the body behind a house that had previously burned down. The Richland County Sheriff's office officially confirmed that the body found was Cunningham's on November 1, 2016.[37]

Rebekah Leicy

Based on information supplied by Grate, police have reopened the investigation into Leicy's death. Her body was found in March 2015, and her death was originally ruled a drug overdose.[38] Grate says he strangled her after she stole $4 from him in a bar.[7]

Marion County Victim "Dana"

Grate claims to have killed another woman who was found dead in Marion County in 2007 and never identified.[39] He has stated he believes her name was Dana.[7] In January 2018, isotope analysis indicated she was likely from the southern United States. [40]

References

  1. ↑ "Shawn Grate: A cold-blooded charmer". Mansfield News Journal. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 Jackman, Jay. "23 Felony Count Indictments Against Convicted Serial Killer". WMFD. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Carr, Dillon (15 September 2016). "Grate's ex-wife releases statement". Richland Source. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  4. ↑ Tunnell, Christopher. "PDF Released: Grate Indictment 22 Sept 16". Twitter. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Sams, Dylan. "Grate pleads not guilty to two counts of murder, one count kidnapping". Ashland Times-Gazette. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  6. ↑ Dunning, Shanice. "Suspected serial killer Shawn Grate pleads not guilty". Cleveland 19 News. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Nist, Cassie. "Q&A from jail: Shawn Grate says his victims didn't want to live". Cleveland 19 News. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  8. ↑ Steer, Jen (28 December 2016). "Accused Ashland serial killer pleads insanity". WJW Fox 8 Cleveland. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  9. ↑ Mills, Emily (31 October 2016). "Shawn Grate's trial date set for next November". Mansfield News Journal. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  10. ↑ Busbey, Tim (28 August 2017). "Accused Ashland serial killer Shawn Grate's trial delayed until April 9". Richland Source. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  11. ↑ Sams, Dylan (28 August 2017). "Trial for Shawn Grate rescheduled for April 2018". Ashland Times-Gazette. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  12. ↑ "Trial of accused serial killer Shawn Grate delayed until next year". Mansfield News Journal. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  13. ↑ "Ashland prosecutor seeks death penalty against suspected serial killer". WCMH-TV NBC4. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  14. ↑ "Convicted murderer Shawn Grate pleads not guilty to Richland County charges". Mansfield News Journal. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Ashland killer connection reopens 2015 case". WCMH-TV NBC4. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  16. ↑ Hickey, Megan. "Suspected serial killer Shawn Grate reveals "why" he murdered victims in letters to News 5". WEWS News 5 Cleveland. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  17. ↑ Barbash, Fred. "The twisted confessions of Shawn Grate, who says he killed 5 women". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  18. ↑ "Grate competent to stand trial". Ashland Times-Gazette. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  19. ↑ Caudill, Mark (6 January 2017). "Grate ruled competent to stand trial". Mansfield News Journal. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  20. ↑ Caudil, Mark (6 March 2017). "Evaluation: Shawn Grate not insane at time of killings". WKYC. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  21. ↑ Busbey, Tim (7 April 2017). "Shawn Grate's attorneys withdraw insanity plea". Richland Source. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  22. 1 2 Sams, Dylan (12 September 2017). "Pump House to sign properties over to city in foreclosure case". Ashland Times-Gazette. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  23. ↑ Sams, Dylan (14 July 2017). "Ashland wants to demolish the houses where Shawn Grate was found last year". Ashland Times-Gazette. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  24. ↑ McNaull, Courtney (9 April 2018). "Jury selection begins in Shawn Grate case". Richland Source. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  25. ↑ Sams, Dylan (23 April 2018). "Prosecutor: Shawn Grate case "not a whodunnit"". Ashland Times-Gazette. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  26. ↑ Sams, Dylan (2 May 2018). "Accused killer Grate pleads guilty to 15 non-murder charges". Ashland Times-Gazette. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  27. ↑ "Accused Ashland serial killer Shawn Grate pleads guilty to several charges". WJW Fox 8 Cleveland. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  28. ↑ "Jury finds Shawn Grate guilty of murder, sexual assault in Ohio". NBC NEWS. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  29. ↑ "Accused serial killer Shawn Grate found guilty of aggravated murder, kidnapping". WJW Fox 8 Cleveland. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  30. ↑ Sams, Dylan (7 May 2018). "GRATE TRIAL: Guilty on all 8 counts". Ashland Times-Gazette. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  31. 1 2 "Crowd in court applauds death sentence for Shawn Grate". Mansfield News Journal. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  32. ↑ Sams, Dylan (1 June 2018). "Judge sentences Grate to death, families mourn". Ashland Times-Gazette. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  33. ↑ "What we know: Shawn Grate tied to 5 deaths, 1 abduction". Cincinnati.com. USA Today. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  34. 1 2 Samuelson, Kate. "Man Linked to at Least 5 Women's Deaths Is 'Obviously a Serial Killer,' Sheriff Says". TIME. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  35. 1 2 Jones, Bob (4 January 2017). "Autopsy report reveals two of Shawn Grate's alleged victims were strangled to death". WEWS. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  36. ↑ L'Heureux, Catie. "A Serial Killer's Victim Made a 911 Call That Helped Police Link the Cases of 5 Murdered Women". New York Magazine. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  37. ↑ Carr, Dillon (1 November 2016). "Candice Cunningham identified as 3rd victim in Grate case". Richland Source. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  38. ↑ Whitmire, Lou. "Grate provides Mansfield police with tips in Leicy case". Mansfield News Journal. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  39. ↑ Barbash, Fred. "'He's obviously a serial killer': Deaths of at least 5 women now linked, probed by Ohio police". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  40. ↑ Volpenhein, Sarah (11 April 2018). "New tests could help identify alleged Shawn Grate victim in Marion County". Marion Star. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
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