CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that James Hannah, 37, pleaded guilty to murdering an 81-year-old man at a gas station in Cleveland’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood last April.

“This individual randomly gunned down an 81-year-old man at a gas station for no apparent reason. He should spend the rest of his life sitting behind bars.”

Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley

On April 5, 2020, Hannah walked towards a gas station on Kinsman Road near East 125th Street and randomly started shooting at customers and vehicles. He fired at two separate victims striking one of their vehicles before they were able to flee the area. Hannah then chased another victim and shot him in the back. When the victim collapsed, Hannah stood over him and fired several more rounds before fleeing the scene. The Cleveland Division of Police (CPD) immediately responded and found the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the head, back, and arms. Cleveland Emergency Medical Services arrived and transported the victim to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. CPD officers found Hannah hiding in the backyard of a nearby residence on East 126th Street. He was arrested and officers recovered a firearm with an extended magazine near him that he was trying to conceal.

CPD’s Homicide Unit conducted an investigation that linked Hannah to the crime through DNA evidence, forensic ballistics, surveillance video, and multiple eyewitness accounts. DNA evidence collected from the gun, magazine, and several shell casings on scene all matched to Hannah. The casings and bullets recovered from the scene matched the firearm used by Hannah. The surveillance footage corroborated statements given by several eyewitnesses.

Hannah pleaded guilty to the following charges:

  • One count of Aggravated Murder
  • Two counts of Attempted Murder
  • One count of Tampering With Evidence

He will be sentenced on Wednesday, June 2 at 10 a.m. at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center.