East Cleveland man sentenced for killing mother’s boyfriend

Fatal shooting took place in Euclid

An East Cleveland man who admitted to killing his mother’s boyfriend was sentenced to 13 to 16 ½ years in prison.

Euclid police responded to a home on Mardson Avenue around 2 a.m., June 12, after they received a call from a woman who said her son shot her boyfriend, according to court records.

A neighbor also called to report that she heard shots fired.

When officers arrived on scene, they found 33-yearold Theodore Hester on his side beneath a kitchen table.

According to court records, Hester was shot nine times. Eight of the bullets were in Hester’s back and one was in his chest.

Hester’s girlfriend told police Hester and her son, Jacquise Drewery, got into a verbal argument in the kitchen.

Following the shooting, the woman told police that her son fled in Hester’s car.

Police found Drewery, now 22, on the morning of June 13 in the basement of his girlfriend’s house in East Cleveland.

Drewery was originally charged with two counts of murder, first-degree felony voluntary manslaughter, second-degree felony felonious assault, third-degree felony failure to comply with a police order, thirddegree felony tampering with evidence, fourth-degree felony grand theft of a motor vehicle, fourth-degree felony failure to comply and misdemeanor obstructing official business.

He pleaded guilty in late January to charges of voluntary manslaughter, failure to comply with a police order, tampering with evidence and grand theft of a motor vehicle.

Drewery was sentenced by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Joan Synenberg Feb. 13.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors sought the maximum sentence for Drewery, which was 21 ½ to 27 years in prison.

Drewery has 245 days of jail credit, court records show.

In June, Drewery was erroneously released from jail without posting his then $1 million bond. He was taken back into custody a short time later.

Drewery will be on five years of post release control following his release from prison.

Drewery