Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
Man sentenced to 23 years for killing during robbery
- Updated: Jul. 02, 2010, 4:12 p.m.|
- Published: Jul. 02, 2010, 3:12 p.m.
By
Plain Dealer File Derrick K. Echols
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An 18-year-old Cleveland man was sentenced to 23 years in jail after pleading guilty to charges in connection with the robbery and killing of John Bozich.
Derrick Echols pleaded guilty to
manslaughter and aggravated robbery charges in the Jan. 30 death of Bozich, who was shot while defending his wife from the robbers.
Police said Bozich was walking with his wife and a friend near East 60th Street and Bonna Avenue when two men ordered them to hand over money. One robber punched Bozich's wife, Stephanie Bozich. When John Bozich tried to defend his wife, he was shot.
Minutes after the homicide, police arrested two men after Stephanie Bozich said she was sure they were the robbers. The men were held two days for questioning and released without being charged.
On Feb. 27, Echols was arrested by the FBI Fugitive Task Force and charged with aggravated murder and aggravated robbery. Echols was not one of the two men originally arrested on suspicion of the murder.
He never identified the man who was with him at the time of the shooting.
