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2002 Lima, Ohio, apartment shooting

SOLVED2002Lima, Ohio, United States3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026

Documents violence · crimes against children — written to inform, not to shock.

Illustrative

On the evening of January 3, 2002, half-brothers Cleveland Ramon Jackson Jr. (then 23) and Jeronique D. Cunningham (then 29) went to the Lima, Ohio, apartment of 28-year-old LaShane Liles, intending to rob him of money and drugs. Liles was not home when they arrived, but seven relatives and friends were present. When Liles returned, he discussed a drug transaction with Jackson while Cunningham watched television with three other occupants. Cunningham then drew a weapon and forced several occupants into the kitchen, striking one victim with his gun barrel. Jackson held Liles at gunpoint and took money and drugs from him. All eight occupants — Liles, Coron Liles, Dwight D. Goodlowe, Leneshia Williams, Jayla Grant, James Grant, Tomeaka J. Grant, and Armetta Robinson — were eventually gathered in the kitchen.

After Liles said he had no more money to give, Jackson shot him in the back, and both men then fired on the remaining occupants, including three-year-old Jayla Grant, despite pleas to spare her. Leneshia Williams, 17, died of a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, and Jayla Grant, 3, died of two gunshot wounds to the head. The other six victims were wounded but survived after hospitalization, sustaining injuries including loss of an eye, a fractured rib, facial gunshot wounds, and a head wound that left one victim comatose for weeks. Liles, though wounded, was able to call police.

Three days later, on January 6, 2002, police traced the brothers to a motel in Dayton, Ohio, where both surrendered. They were initially charged with felonious assault, and on January 11, 2002, a special Allen County grand jury indicted both men on two counts of aggravated murder with death-penalty specifications, aggravated robbery, and six counts of attempted aggravated murder.

Cunningham was tried first, before the Allen County Common Pleas Court; on June 19, 2002, a jury convicted him on all nine counts, and on June 26, 2002, Judge Richard Warren sentenced him to death. Jackson's trial followed in July 2002; his defense argued he fired only one shot and that Cunningham fired the fatal rounds, but a surviving victim testified that Jackson nodded to Cunningham before both men began shooting. On July 26, 2002, Jackson was convicted, and on August 5, 2002, Judge Jeffrey Reed sentenced him to death for both murders.

Both men pursued extensive appeals over the following two decades. The Ohio Supreme Court overturned one of Jackson's two death sentences in 2005 (re-sentencing him to life for Grant's murder while upholding death for Williams's murder), while Cunningham's sentence was repeatedly upheld, though litigation over alleged juror bias continued into the 2020s, including a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing further review. Jackson's execution date has been rescheduled multiple times by Ohio governors, most recently to June 13, 2029. As of 2026, both men remain incarcerated on death row at the Ross Correctional Institution. Separately, surviving victim LaShane Liles was arrested in March 2004 on unrelated cocaine trafficking charges and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Key facts

Victims
LaShane Liles, Armetta Robinson, Leneshia Williams, James Grant, Tomeaka J. Grant, Coron Liles, Dwight D. Goodlowe, Jayla Grant
Date
2002
Location
Lima, Ohio, United States
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2002-01-03

    Cleveland Jackson and Jeronique Cunningham rob and shoot eight people at a Lima, Ohio apartment; Leneshia Williams and Jayla Grant are killed.

  2. 2002-01-06

    Jackson and Cunningham surrender to police at a motel in Dayton, Ohio.

  3. 2002-01-08

    Both men are initially charged with felonious assault.

  4. 2002-01-11

    A special Allen County grand jury indicts both men on aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and attempted aggravated murder charges.

  5. 2002-06-19

    Jury finds Cunningham guilty on all nine charges.

  6. 2002-06-26

    Cunningham is sentenced to death by Judge Richard Warren.

  7. 2002-07-26

    Jury finds Jackson guilty of two counts of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and six counts of attempted aggravated murder.

  8. 2002-08-05

    Jackson is sentenced to death by Judge Jeffrey Reed.

  9. 2004-03

    Surviving victim LaShane Liles is arrested on unrelated cocaine trafficking charges, later sentenced to 16 years in prison.

  10. 2004-12-30

    Ohio Supreme Court upholds Cunningham's death sentences.

  11. 2005-11-23

    Ohio Supreme Court overturns Jackson's death sentence for Grant's murder (re-sentenced to life) while affirming his death sentence for Williams's murder.

  12. 2022-01-13

    6th Circuit Court of Appeals orders a new hearing into Cunningham's claims of juror bias.

  13. 2022-11-14

    U.S. Supreme Court upholds 6th Circuit's ruling to review juror bias allegations raised by Cunningham.

  14. 2026-01-30

    Governor DeWine issues a stay of execution for Jackson, resetting his execution date to June 13, 2029.

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People

  • LaShane Liles

    VICTIM

    28-year-old drug dealer and apartment resident who was shot in the back but survived; later separately arrested and sentenced for cocaine trafficking in 2004.

    citation on file

  • Armetta Robinson

    VICTIM

    26-year-old victim shot in the head, remained in a coma for weeks, survived.

    citation on file

  • Jeronique Dwayne Cunningham

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and attempted aggravated murder; sentenced to death on 2002-06-26; remains on death row as of 2026.

    citation on file

  • Leneshia Williams

    VICTIM

    17-year-old victim who died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head during the shooting.

    citation on file

  • James Grant

    VICTIM

    27-year-old victim, father of Jayla Grant, sustained five gunshot wounds and survived.

    citation on file

  • Tomeaka J. Grant

    VICTIM

    24-year-old victim, Liles's fiancée, lost an eye and was shot in the arm, survived.

    citation on file

  • Coron Liles

    VICTIM

    18-year-old victim shot in the face, survived with injuries including loss of teeth.

    citation on file

  • Dwight D. Goodlowe

    VICTIM

    15-year-old victim who suffered a fractured rib from a grazing bullet, survived.

    citation on file

  • Jayla Grant

    VICTIM

    3-year-old victim who died of two gunshot wounds to the head during the shooting.

    citation on file

  • Cleveland Ramon Jackson

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and attempted aggravated murder; sentenced to death on 2002-08-05; one death sentence later overturned and replaced with life imprisonment, remains on death row for the other conviction with execution scheduled for 2029-06-13.

    citation on file

Places

Lima, Ohio, United States

40.7425, -84.1052

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On January 3, 2002, brothers Jeronique Cunningham and Cleveland Jackson robbed an apartment in Lima, Ohio, and shot all eight people inside, killing 17-year-old Leneshia Williams and 3-year-old Jayla Grant. Both men were convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to death; they remain on death row as of 2026.
Where did the shooting happen?
Lima, Ohio, United States.
Who was convicted?
Jeronique Dwayne Cunningham (Convicted of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and attempted aggravated murder; sentenced to death on 2002-06-26; remains on death row as of 2026.) and Cleveland Ramon Jackson (Convicted of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and attempted aggravated murder; sentenced to death on 2002-08-05; one death sentence later overturned and replaced with life imprisonment, remains on death row for the other conviction with execution scheduled for 2029-06-13.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.

Sources

  1. 2002 Lima, Ohio, apartment shootingwikipedia · Wikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. Offender Search Details — Corroborating referencenews · appgateway.drc.ohio.gov · 2026-07-07
  3. Ohio death penalty executions delayed — Corroborating referencenews · CBS News · 2026-07-07
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