CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the death sentence imposed on a man convicted of robbing, kidnapping and killing a Cleveland couple at the car lot they owned in 2017.
“Mr. McAlpin brutally executed a husband and wife, the owners of a beloved family owned car shop, along with their dog, for his own profit and gain,” O’Malley said. “Today was a significant step in upholding justice for the victims’ family and friends.”The slayings came April 14, 2017. It was Good Friday, and Kuznik and Tomola were closing up the dealership to head home to their children. They had Easter baskets in the backseat of their car, police said.
Data from McAlpin’s cellphone showed that he called Mr. Cars at 4 p.m., then made several phone calls with Keener between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. before traveling across the city to West 48th Street. A friend of the couple called the dealership a few minutes after McAlpin walked inside and testified that Tomola answered and spoke very quietly, which was out of character.
In his appeal, McAlpin argued that one of the attorneys interfered with his ability to hire an expert to challenge the accuracy of the DNA testing that linked him to the crime. He said the attorney, Kevin Cafferkey, told the expert not to prepare a report because it would only further prove McAlpin’s guilt and told her not to talk to McAlpin without Cafferkey present.