Stark County judge tells teen killer: What you make of your future life is up to you

CANTON ‒ After sentencing Anthony Moore for the shooting death of Craig Backshear, Stark County Common Pleas Judge Kristin G. Farmer acknowledged that the prison term of 10 to 13.5 years means that the 16-year-old will be free again someday.

"And you will have a life," she told him. "And what you make of that life is up to you at this point. You're too young to be going where you're going, but you did an act that justified you going there. While you're there, you can take two paths. One: you can take the path that’s going to continue to have you in this courtroom over and over again. Or you can go down there and make a decision to make a change, and take advantage of all programming that they have to offer you so that when you do come out, you have a chance to live the life that your victim cannot. Best of luck to you."

Moore, who was 15 when arrested, shot Blackshear, 45, on July 7, 2022, on the porch of a home in the 1800 block of Fourth Street NW, three blocks west of Water Works Park in Canton.

Moore was initially charged as a juvenile and his case was later transferred to adult court because of his age and the seriousness of the charges.

Two members of Blackshear's family were present for sentencing in court Thursday but did not speak. No one spoke on Moore's behalf except defense attorney Cole Bond. He asked the judge to impose the sentence agreed upon between the prosecution and defense as part of a negotiated plea agreement. She did.

Teen admits to shooting Craig Blackshear

The agreement with the Stark County Prosecutor's Office reduced a murder charge to involuntary manslaughter and dismissed a felonious assault charge and related firearm specification. Moore pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and a specification that a gun was used in the crime.

Megan Starrett, an assistant Stark County prosecutor, said the victim's family was comfortable with the plea agreement.

The judge gave Moore credit against his sentence for 487 days already spent in the Multi-County Juvenile Attention Center.

Following his release from prison, Moore will spend two to five years on parole.

He and Blackshear were Canton residents.

Moore's mother, Megan Coladonato, 37, was accused of aiding him by stoking an argument between herself and the victim, leading to the teen to shoot Blackshear multiple times, according to police records.

In February, she pleaded guilty to two felony counts of obstructing justice and tampering with evidence and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Murder charge: 15-year-old Canton boy indicted in fatal shooting of Craig Blackshear

Anthony Moore's troubled childhood

In a decision to send Moore's case to Common Pleas Court, Stark County Family Court Judge Jim D. James wrote that Moore was "under the negative influence and coercion of his mother at the time of the act charged."

James wrote that Moore was exposed to domestic violence and as he matured, his mother repeatedly called, requesting his assistance when she was held against her will or physically assaulted.

"He was exposed to people being stabbed, shot, and using drugs," James wrote.

The document said Moore was introduced to marijuana at age 13 and was under its influence when he shot Blackshear. James wrote that Moore first drank alcohol at age 14.

Reduced charge: Canton teen pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in fatal shooting

Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Anthony Moore gets to 10 to 13.5 years for killing Craig Blackshear