Shawn Grate

Biography

A grand jury has indicted him on two counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of two women, Stacey Stanley and Elizabeth Griffith, and the kidnapping and multiple sexual assaults of an unidentified woman whose 911 call to Ashland police led to Grate's arrest on September 13, 2016. In court documents, her name has been redacted; she is being referred to as "Jane Doe". In total, Grate was indicted on 23 counts, all first, second, or third-degree felonies; lesser charges include breaking and entering, burglary, and tampering with evidence. He is being represented by court-appointed attorney Rolf Whitney, who entered a plea of not guilty on all charges on behalf of Grate. In a press interview, however, Grate confessed to five murders. Grate's attorneys later filed a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. His trial date is set for November 6, 2017.

Prosecutor Christopher R. Tunnell said that given the "...depraved actions and the gruesome evidence", he would likely seek the death penalty.

Shawn Grate has not yet been charged in the deaths of his former girlfriend Candice Cunningham, Rebekah Leicy in neighboring Richland County, and an unknown woman who died between 2005 and 2006 who was found in 2007 in Marion County. However, in the second of two letters he sent to Cleveland news station WEWS (News 5 Cleveland) reporter Megan Hickey, Grate attributed his motives to "government assistance", writing that it took his victims' minds. “They were already dead, just their bodies were flopping wherever it can flop but their minds were already dead! The state took their minds. Once they started receiving their monthly checks". Grate claimed he once received a $197 food card and that he, "Never was able to receive any encouragement, though many bodies received 700".

After Grate had given out details of the murders to two different news organizations while in custody, attorneys for the defense and prosecution jointly requested and obtained a gag order preventing Grate from communicating any further with the media. On January 6, 2017, a competency hearing determined Grate is fit to stand trial. An evaluation released March 6 based on a January 17 assessment to evaluate Grate's claim of insanity declared that he was not insane at the time the crimes were committed.

Kidnapping Victim

Identified by the indictment only as "Jane Doe", this woman called 911 while Grate slept from the Ashland house where he was holding her. She was safely rescued by Ashland police. Because she was the victim of a sexual assault, police declined to reveal her identity. Grate claims he did not plan to kill her, and that they were going to get married.

Stacey Stanley

Stanley's family had reported her missing the week before Grate was arrested. Her body was found at the Ashland house where Grate was arrested. She is also known as Stacy Hicks. An autopsy concluded she was strangled to death.

Elizabeth Griffith

Griffith had been missing for about a month before Grate was arrested. Her body was found at the Ashland house where Grate was arrested. An autopsy concluded she was strangled to death.

Candice Cunningham

Grate led police to what he claimed was Cunningham's body in neighboring Richland County on the day of his arrest. Police found the body behind a house that had previously burned down. The Richland County Sheriff's office officially confirmed that the body found was Cunningham's on November 1, 2016.

Rebekah Leicy

Based on information supplied by Grate, police have reopened the investigation into Leicy's death. Her body was found in March 2015, and her death was originally ruled a drug overdose. Grate says he strangled her after she stole $4 from him in a bar.

Marion County Victim

Grate claims to have killed another woman who was found dead in Marion County in 2007 and never identified. He has stated he believes her name was Dana.