The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Murder trial begins for Elyria man in ’16 case
A trial started July 10 for a 24-year-old Elyria man accused of committing the first murder in Sheffield Village in at least 27 years.
Devonte A. Randleman appeared in Lorain County Common Pleas Court to face charges connected to the Aug. 5 murder of 26-yearold Stephen Antonio Dukes in the driveway of his Waterford Circle apartment.
Randleman is facing a single charge of aggravated murder, two counts of murder, two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts aggravated burglary, two counts of felonious assault, and single counts of tampering with evidence and having weapons while under disability.
Before the trial began, Common Pleas Judge Christopher R. Rothgery addressed the families of both Randleman and Dukes, who filled the courtroom, warning against any sort of outburst.
Rothgery said there had been talk around the courthouse about confrontations between the two families.
He said there would
be stiff penalties leveled against anyone who interrupted.
“Any confrontations that occur will result, not only in you being evicted from this courtroom, even if it’s just outside this courtroom, and I’m given credible evidence to support an allegation of confrontation, you won’t be allowed back in the courtroom.
“If it happens in my presence, then we’re going to have a contempt hearing real quick afterward and you’ll be hearing about the trial at the jail, more likely than not.”
After the morning was spent sitting a jury of nine women and five men to hear the case, lawyers for both
sides presented their opening statements.
Lorain County Assistant Prosecutor Anthony Cillo laid out a story of Dukes coming home at 3:30 a.m. and interrupting Randleman and an unnamed accomplice who were burglarizing his home.
Cillo said Dukes was found about 14 feet from his garage with four bullet wounds from a .40-caliber weapon.
He said Dukes was struck twice in the chest, once in the stomach and once in the leg.
Cillo said investigators tied Randleman to the crime because his DNA was found on a Ruger P89 handgun with tape around the butt found in Dukes’ home as well as sunglasses and a phone found in the driveway.
He said the phone was tied to the Randleman’s girlfriend at the time and through phone records, investigators learned the phone was wiped shortly after it was taken into custody.
Randleman’s attorney, Anthony Manning, told jurors they should wait to hear all of the evidence and to pay careful attention to the scientific evidence.
Manning said his client was in Sandusky at the time of the murder and couldn’t have shot Dukes in the driveway because Randleman’s gun, the Ruger P89, was found in the home.
“This is the CSI case,” he said. “I want you to follow it, but I also want you to bring in all your logic and common sense on this one.”