Akron man sentenced to life in prison for homeless man's fatal shooting at Grace Park
An Akron man recently was sentenced to life in prison for the fatal shooting of a homeless man in Grace Park in May 2021.
Hakim Mitcham, 27, pleaded guilty under an agreement with prosecutors to aggravated murder with a gun specification and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss other charges against him.
Thomas Pokorny, a visiting judge in Summit County Common Pleas Court, sentenced Mitcham to life in prison with parole eligibility after 23 years.
Mitcham was arrested in the May 8, 2021, fatal shooting of Randall Proctor, 58. Police said Proctor, who was living at the nearby Haven of Rest homeless shelter, was sitting on a park bench when a man approached him from behind and shot him.
Police said Mitcham walked into the police station a few days after the shooting and confessed to killing Proctor.
Detectives had identified Mitcham as a person of interest in Proctor’s shooting after interviews and a canvass of the area.
Mitcham was evaluated and found competent to stand trial. He was represented by Attorney John Greven.
Two homeless men killed within two months in Akron
Proctor was one of two homeless people killed in a two-month period in 2021, raising concerns among local homeless advocates.
Ronald Slack, 38, of Akron, was stabbed in the neck on March 27, 2021, near the Haven of Rest. Slack died the next day at Summa Akron City Hospital.
Willie James was sentenced to 14 to 19 ½ years in prison for Slack’s slaying. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
More:'Senseless situation': Homeless Akron man sentenced for killing another homeless man
Attorneys said James and Slack had an ongoing feud and both suffered from mental health and substance abuse issues.
The two slayings in such a short time period raised concerns among local groups that assist the homeless.
Nick Cacioppo, the spokesman for Serve The People Akron, told the Beacon Journal in May 2021 that homeless people are often victims of violence and are vulnerable because of their lack of resources. His grassroots group helps homeless people at Grace Park and elsewhere with food and resources.
The Rev. Jeff Kaiser, chief executive of Haven of Rest, said the agency and its residents were "shaken and concerned" by the slayings.
"We know that having a place that is safe and clean can be hard to come by for a person experiencing homelessness, and that is why we are open every day to serve those in need," Kaiser said.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705 and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron man gets life for homeless man's fatal shooting at Grace Park
