Man gets life in murder case

A Lorain man avoided the death penalty but will receive a life sentence in the fatal shooting a man during a home robbery.

A Lorain County Common Pleas jury on Tuesday recommended a life sentence without the possibility of parole for Elliott Kirkland. Jurors last month found the 29-year-old man guilty of aggravated murder and other charges in the 2016 killing of Jimmie Holland Jr.

Miraldi is scheduled to sentence Kirkland on Feb. 22.

Jurors on Jan. 25 found Kirkland guilty of aggravated murder, murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, felonious assault and burglary. They deliberated for seven days before reaching the verdict.

Kirkland is one of four people arrested in connection with the Aug. 29, 2016 killing.

Holland, 33, was found shot to death inside his home on Lexington Avenue. The day after the shooting, detectives arrested Kirkland and Lorain residents Mark Sanchez, Jasmine Schafer and Latrice Thomas.

During Kirkland’s trial, prosecutors identified him as the shooter and said the group planned to rob Holland, who they believed to be a drug dealer, according to the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.