Juvenile murder suspects to face trial as adults

The pair of juveniles accused of taking part in the shooting death of an Elyria man will be tried as adults, according to court documents.

Qwanda Woodson, 17, of Elyria, and Justin Smith, 18, of Oberlin, are facing one count of murder and two counts of aggravated robbery each in Lorain County Common Pleas court following a June 6 bindover hearing on the cases.

Woodson was 16 and Smith was 17 when 19-year-old Cody Snyder was gunned down during a botched drug deal Jan. 23 in the 100 block of Clinton Avenue in Elyria.

The pair are to be held at the Lorain County Detention Home on $500,000 bonds apiece pending their trial.

Kajaun Anderson, 19, of Elyria, is facing charges of aggravated murder with two gun specifications, murder with two gun specifications, aggravated robbery with two gun specifications, robbery with two gun specifications and tampering with evidence with a single gun specification in connection to the shooting.

Anderson is being held at the Lorain County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

Jeffrey P. Miraldi, 20, of Elyria, and Jenna Turner, 19, of Middleburg Heights, allegedly were in a 2014 Ford Focus registered to Miraldi’s father, Lorain County Common Pleas Court Judge John R. Miraldi, along with Snyder at the time of the shooting.

After Snyder was shot, Jeffrey Miraldi and Turner transported him to University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center for treatment, investigators said.

While doctors worked to save Snyder’s life, police say Jeffrey Miraldi instructed Turner to leave the scene with Snyder’s phone, a bookbag containing marijuana and a firearm Jeffrey Miraldi had borrowed for protection during the deal.

The firearm has not been recovered.

Judge John Miraldi is not being investigated in connection to the crime, according to Elyria police.

Jeffrey Miraldi is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter with two gun specifications, trafficking in drugs with two gun specifications, three counts of tampering with evidence with a gun specification each, a single charge of tampering with evidence without a gun specification, possession of drugs with a gun specification and permitting drug abuse.

Turner is facing three counts of tampering with evidence with gun specifications on each count.

The pair are currently out on bond.

Because of Jeffrey Miraldi’s connection to a sitting Common Pleas Court judge, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office will handle prosecution.

The Ohio Supreme Court appointed Judge Robert J. Brown to preside over the cases.