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Elias Acevedo Pleads Guilty to Cold-Case Murders, Heads to Prison for Life

Elias Acevedo with his attorney. (ideastream file photo by Nick Castele)
Elias Acevedo with his attorney. (ideastream file photo by Nick Castele)

Acevedo admitted to killing Pamela Pemberton in 1994 and Christina Adkins in 1995, hiding Adkins' body in a utility vault until authorities discovered the remains this year.

Judge Michael P. Donnelly sentenced Acevedo to prison for 20 years to life for each of the murders, and gave him 405 year for other charges, according to the news release.

The Plain Dealer reports Acevedo apologized to his victims, many of whom were members of his family. His victims also confronted him in court as part of the sentencing hearing.

County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty said earlier this year that authorities began to suspect Acevedo after reinvestigating open sexual assault cases in the neighborhood around Seymour Avenue, where Ariel Castro held three women captive for about 10 years.

Nick Castele was a senior reporter covering politics and government for Ideastream Public Media. He worked as a reporter for Ideastream from 2012-2022.