Man sentenced for rape of 12-year-old found dead in alley a year later
AKRON, Ohio (WJW) — A Barberton man was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday for raping a 12-year-old girl, whose death in 2023 remains under investigation.
Summit County prosecutors say 30-year-old Anthony Mignano was sentenced after pleading no contest to three counts of rape and three counts of gross sexual imposition. He will be eligible for parole after 10 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Mignano moved in with then-12-year-old Melanie Elkins in the spring of 2022. Prosecutors say he admitted to having sex with her three times.
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Investigators say Elkins was found dead in an alley behind a home near South Arlington and Fifth Avenue in Akron in June of 2023.
The Summit County Medical Examiner revealed the cause of death to be a combination of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Mignano was in jail at the time of her death.
Detectives learned that 31-year-old Keith Earley, of Akron, dumped the teen’s body in the alley. He was sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty to charges, including gross abuse of a corpse and failure to to report knowledge of a death.
The Akron Police Department is still investigating Elkins’ death. Investigators say, so far, they haven’t been able to link Mignano or Earley directly to the drugs that ended Elkins’ life.
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“The death of Melanie Elkins has left an enormous impact on our community,” Prosecutor Walsh said in a statement. “Sending Anthony Mignano to prison for the rest of his life is one step in bringing justice to Melanie and her family. Once a suspect is charged in Melanie’s death, I assure you we will work hard to prosecute that person to the fullest extent of the law.”
Elkins’ family also released a joint statement, saying, “Melanie’s story is far from over. She was a very sweet, caring, loving and smart girl who loved playing video games and was interested in forensic science. Melanie’s memory will live on forever.”
A judge also designated Mignano as a Tier III sex offender.
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