Two teenagers in Youngstown, Ohio have pleaded guilty to charges related to the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy in 2021. Anthony Wilkins Jr. and Anjuan Whitfield, both 17, appeared in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court where they admitted to involuntary manslaughter and being felons in possession of a firearm. The two were sentenced to 17 to 22 and a half years in prison, a sentence recommended by prosecutors and defense attorneys and upheld by Judge Anthony Donofrio.
The guilty pleas spare the defendants from going to trial, which was scheduled to begin on Monday. Wilkins and Whitfield were charged in juvenile court initially, but their cases were moved to common pleas court after a bind-over hearing in May.
The shooting took place on November 21, 2021, and the victim, Landon Lockhart, was found on January 13, 2022, in a wooded area on the East Side. Lockhart’s mother, Jovonna Solomon, never gave up hope of finding her son, even during the nearly two months he was missing. Assistant Prosecutor Rob Andrews described the murder as a terrible, heinous crime and acknowledged the toll it took on Lockhart’s family.
Lockhart’s sister, Lajena Solomon, expressed the devastation caused by her brother’s death, saying, You have no idea what you took from us. You destroyed our mother and our family. What you took from our family can’t be replaced. She also voiced her hope that the defendants would be haunted by Lockhart’s memory for the rest of their lives, emphasizing the profound loss her family has experienced.
Lockhart’s mother, Lajena Solomon, acknowledged the need to forgive the two teenagers in order to move forward from her son’s death. I forgive ya’ll, she stated. I have to say that because that’s the only way I can live through this. You have turned my life upside down. Landon did not deserve this. She expressed her determination to keep her son’s memory alive throughout the city.
While the defendants’ defense attorneys acknowledged the tragedy, they also raised concerns about the failure of families and the school system to adequately prepare young people in Youngstown for life. Whitfield apologized for his role, but Judge Donofrio expressed his puzzlement, questioning what a 14-year-old child could have done to deserve such a fate.
Tony Meranto, Whitfield’s attorney, shared his disgust and called attention to the growing prevalence of juvenile murder trials. He emphasized the need to address the issue of access to firearms and the resources being used to obtain them, considering the implications for community safety. Meranto also noted the absence of any family members on Whitfield’s side at the sentencing.
In conclusion, the two teenagers have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their involvement in the shooting death of Landon Lockhart. The court proceedings brought to light the profound impact on the victim’s family and the community as a whole, raising important questions about the support systems in place for young people. As the grieving family seeks to honor Lockhart’s memory, the tragic incident highlights the need for comprehensive efforts to prevent such events in the future.
