It had been eleven years since three people were k*illed in an execution-style k*illing at an auto shop in Cleveland. The man who was accused of the crime was found not guilty on all counts.
Four people were ki*lled inside Imperial Auto on St. Clair Avenue in 2012: Lori Sarli, 48, Brian Yuravak, 50, and Babette Hockenberry, 53. Jesse Melton, 39, of East Cleveland was charged with their deaths. The three people who died were all shot in the head.
Judge Jeffrey Saffold of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court found Melton not guilty on all charges on Tuesday because there was no proof that Melton was there when the shots were fired.
Records from the court show that Melton gave up his right to a trial by jury in the past.
2019 Trial
Two men were charged with ki*lling three people at an auto body shop in Cleveland on Friday morning. They pleaded not guilty in Cuyahoga County Commons Pleas Court.
In August 2012, a man and two women were shot in the head and ki*lled at Imperial Auto Sales, which is near East 183rd Street and St. Clair Avenue. Jessie Melton, from East Cleveland, will be tried for these execution-style mur*ders.
The owner of the auto shop found Brian Yuravak, 50, Lori Sarli, 48, and Babette Hockenberry, 53, de*ad in a room in the back.
The grand jury in Cuyahoga County has charged the person with 17 other counts as well as two counts of aggravated mur*der and one count of mur*der.
Melton had been convicted of attempted robbery and drug crimes before he pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge in December 2018.
Friday, his bond was set at $5 million, and his first court date is set for August 29 at 9 a.m.
