Akron man sentenced to life in prison in shooting death of Dominic Gray
A 21-year-old Akron man was sentenced to life in prison Monday morning in the shooting death of 33-year-old Dominic Gray last September. He is eligible for parole after serving 21 years of his sentence.
Jurors found Thomas Ellis guilty on Friday of murder, felony murder, felonious assault and three firearm specifications that carry additional prison time.
Guilty verdict: Jury finds Akron man who argued self-defense guilty of murder in South Akron slaying
"This was a difficult case and I'm pleased justice was served and Thomas Ellis will spend a significant amount of time in prison," Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich said in a news release.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Susan Baker Ross handed down the sentence after the murder trial began nearly two weeks ago. Ellis plans to appeal, his attorney said Friday.
Thomas Ellis argued he shot Dominic Gray in self-defense
For Ellis' attorney Adam VanHo, the murder trial did not come down to who shot and killed Gray. It was about why his client pulled the trigger, VanHo said during the trial.
Ellis had admitted to police that he shot Gray at least four times on Sept. 8 on the 800 block of Beardsley Street in South Akron. He testified that Gray was fighting with his girlfriend, but when Ellis intervened Gray charged him. Fearing for his life, Ellis shot Gray multiple times.
'It's not about murder': Akron man argues he shot, killed Dominic Gray in self-defense
VanHo argued that his client previously saw Gray and his girlfriend fighting just days before the shooting. She had run out of a building with torn clothes, yelling she had been sexually assaulted.
Ellis, who testified that he had been sexually abused in the past, said he believed that if he did not act, the woman would have been sexually assaulted on Sept. 8.
Assistant Summit County prosecutor Jamila Mitchell was not convinced that Ellis acted in self-defense or to protect Gray's girlfriend.
In cross-examination, Mitchell asked Ellis if he was defending her after she left the scene but before Gray charged him.
“By his own testimony, (Ellis) said he was no longer defending her because (the woman) was no longer present,” Mitchell said during the trial.
Mitchell then proposed a different story during the trial. There was no argument and no reported fight between Gray and Ellis, and Ellis did not shoot Gray in self-defense. Instead, Gray was fleeing the scene when Ellis opened fire, she said.
Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron man sentenced to life in prison in South Akron murder
