GUILTY OH - Michael, 47, & Trina Kuznik, 46, shot dead at Mr. Cars lot, Cleveland, 14 April 2017

[axque]

Ive been at the trials. its all become so intense.

 

[axque]

I don't know who the "he" is being referred to in all this.

I mean initial thoughts and articles are a robbery, but a robbery for what? Did the business do a lot of cash transactions where cash would be on hand (buy here pay here- see next paragraph). Why steal 2 vehicles and drop one (this tells me it must not have been about reselling the vehicle for money), but where is the second vehicle? If about cash why take computers/business records.

"She said the business had overnight break-ins in the past, but nothing that indicated something violent would happen. The buy-here, pay-here business was family-owned for four decades and allowed people to purchase vehicles who might not otherwise be able to find financing."

Another thought is the incident occurred after closing, but the front of that building is all glass. If someone wanted to break in and steal stuff why do it when the owners were clearly still there. Why not wait until after they left? It seems from past stories, most people that are into burglary prefer to avoid contact with people and just break in to get what they need and go. During previous break ins had they tried this but couldn't find whatever they were looking for so chose confrontation?

I could be overthinking a simple robbery gone bad I guess but it seems odd. I am also guessing the intruders walked or were dropped off by someone since they left in stolen vehicles.

cash was on hand yes. huge point u made about the purpose of the cars. I think the motive of the actual event that night is robbery because things were taken, ...i mean thats the focus in this trial...their lives being extinguished that night.....the trial is exposing all of that stuff. ....but u honestly had amazing insight here-..

not sure mod if I can post news links?
thanks much.

 

[Tiff23fr]

cash was on hand yes. huge point u made about the purpose of the cars. I think the motive of the actual event that night is robbery because things were taken, ...i mean thats the focus in this trial...their lives being extinguished that night.....the trial is exposing all of that stuff. ....but u honestly had amazing insight here-..

not sure mod if I can post news links?
thanks much.

Am I understanding the article correctly that the second car was going to be re-sold as a salvage for money/drugs? I haven't followed this case much. If he had to search for whether or not he could switch the title, it sounds like this wasn't something he had done in the past.

Several hours after the killings, Google records showed McAlpin made multiple internet searches including “all 2008 Salvage BMW for sale" and “can you switch a title into your name without the other parties permission,” Kunkle said.

The searches related to the BMW got more specific through the night up until about 4:35 a.m., when McAlpin’s account searched “2008 BMW gray 521," Kunkle said.

Google history of man on trial in execution-style killings at Cleveland car lot shows searches for make, model of car stolen from lot

 

[Tiff23fr]

Before they finished, Joseph McAlpin carried out a plan to steal cars to turn into quick cash, killing the Euclid couple along the way, a prosecutor said Tuesday during opening statements in McAlpin’s capital murder trial.

Man facing death penalty in double-slaying of Cleveland car dealership owners wanted quick cash, prosecutors say

 

[Tiff23fr]

One more..
video in this article states it was robbery for car titles and keys. Since the keys were pitched, it sounds more like the titles were the interest??

UPS driver tip helped in car dealership arrests

“All I thought was, it was a break-in, and keys and titles was stolen. I didn’t know nothin about a murder or robbery or nothin'.”

Suspected killer's courtroom confusion leads to lengthy indictment reading

 

[JerseyGirl]

He was found guilty on all counts against him.

McAlpin could be sentenced to death. The sentencing phase of the trial begins Monday.

Jury finds man guilty of killing two people at Cleveland car dealership

 

[JerseyGirl]

On Friday Joseph McAlpin asked for a mitigation report and a pre-sentence investigation. Those reports require court staff and mental-health doctors to interview McAlpin to determine, among other things, if he has any mental-health conditions or a troubled past that could be used during the penalty phase to convince jurors to spare his life.

McAlpin, who is representing himself during the trial, refused to sit down for those interviews before the trial began.

Court officials on Friday had not set a new date for the second phase of the trial to begin.

Judge delays ‘death penalty phase’ in trial of man convicted of double slaying at Cleveland car dealership

 

[JerseyGirl]

Mr. Cars Killer Sentenced to Death for Double Homicide in Collinwood

 

[Ann99]

Death Sentence Upheld for Cleveland Man Who Killed Car Lot Owners

www.courtnewsohio.gov

Death Sentence Upheld for Cleveland Man Who Killed Car Lot Owners​

By Dan Trevas | May 12, 2022

Death row inmate Joseph McAlpin

The Supreme Court of Ohio today affirmed the death penalty of a Cleveland man who killed the husband-and-wife owners of a car dealership while stealing two cars and money.
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court found overwhelming evidence that Joseph McAlpin entered the Mr. Cars dealership and robbed and murdered Michael Kuznik and Trina Tomola in April 2017. After independently weighing the aggravating circumstances and mitigating factors, the Court concluded that the death sentence was appropriately imposed.
#

detailed article.

 

[wendybtn]

Prosecutor drops charges against final man accused in 2017 Cleveland car dealership double murder

Jerome Diggs, whose brother James McAlpin received a death sentence after a jury convicted him of being the gunman who killed Michael Kuznik and Trina Tomola, will not face trial on charges of aggravated murder after prosecutors cited a lack of evidence.

www-cleveland-com.cdn.ampproject.org

Suspect in double murder has case dismissed without prejudice