An Akron man was convicted Wednesday afternoon of two counts of murder and multiple counts of felonious assault in the April shooting death of Richard “Ricky” Coryell, 24, of New Franklin.
Anthony T. Hill Jr., 21, of Peerless Avenue, was found guilty of all five counts in the case.
A Summit County jury returned the verdicts after the evidentiary phase of the trial ended Tuesday afternoon in Common Pleas Judge Thomas A. Teodosio’s court.
Hill showed no emotion as he sat hunched at the defense table. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 9 after review of a court-ordered presentence investigation.
He faces life in prison.
Prosecutors said Hill shot Coryell about 12:30 a.m. April 14 outside the Old Haunts Tavern on East Market Street following a fight.
Coryell’s mother, Tammy Samples, and his stepfather, Walter Samples, wept quietly and held hands in the front row of the public gallery as the verdicts were read. Several family members and friends also were in attendance.
“We were really hoping justice would be served, and I truly believe that it was, and I thank God,” Tammy Samples said.
Longtime family friend Cliff Smith, an ordained minister from the Goodyear Heights area of Akron, explained the events surrounding the shooting.
There was a live rap concert at the bar that night, he said, and Coryell was producing it and singing in the group when one of the regular band members did not attend.
“An altercation took place outside the bar, and as he was walking away from the altercation, Hill shot him and killed him,” Smith said.
“He was trying to leave,” Tammy Samples said, sobbing.
Julia Brown, the victim’s sister, said the altercation took place after Hill attempted to leave with Coryell’s girlfriend.
The convictions also were accompanied by multiple gun specifications. Under Ohio law, there is a mandatory three-year sentence for each weapons charge that must be served before the sentence on the principal offenses.
Common Pleas Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer filled in for Teodosio for the reading of the verdicts. He was out of town for another commitment Wednesday evening.
Ed Meyer can be reached at 330-996-3784 or emeyer@thebeaconjournal.com.
