'Sad case for everyone': Akron man sentenced to life in prison for fatally stabbing neighbor
An Akron man wept and apologized to the family of the neighbor he fatally stabbed Thursday afternoon after pleading guilty to murder.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Kathryn Michael immediately sentenced Aaron Roberts-Byrd to life in prison with possible parole after 15 years, the required penalty.
Jury selection in Roberts-Byrd’s trial was scheduled to start Thursday afternoon. He instead accepted an agreement with prosecutors that required he plead guilty to murder in exchange for the other charges − including aggravated murder − being dropped.
Job Esau Perry, Roberts-Byrd’s attorney, said his client was remorseful and accepted responsibility for his actions.
“Now, he’s going to do his time and hopefully emerge a better person on the other end,” Perry said. “This is a sad case for everyone involved.”
Roberts-Byrd, 30, got into a fight on the afternoon of July 2 with Coy Oswalt, 36, at the Hill Chateau Apartments, 26 E. Tallmadge Ave., where they both lived. Roberts-Byrd stabbed Oswalt in the neck with a hunting knife.
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Oswalt was found near an interior stairwell and was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General where he was pronounced dead.
A police officer found Roberts-Byrd outside the building and a knife was recovered in the area.
The incident was captured on a surveillance camera at the apartment building.
Roberts-Byrd’s original charges were one count each of aggravated murder and felonious assault and two counts of murder. The murder charges involved different parts of state law.
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 in prison for fatal stabbing of mother
