AKRON, Ohio — A Summit County judge has sentenced a 36-year-old man to life in prison for the 2017 murder of a man outside a convenience store in Akron.
Jerry Alford, of Akron, will be eligible for parole after serving 21 years.
Alford was found guilty of murder and having weapon under disability charges.
Those charges stem from the fatal shooting of 59-year-old Dereke Alexander on Nov. 16, 2017.
Another man, 34-year-old Dexter Moore, of Akron, was also sent to prison for his role in the shooting, according to the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office. He was found guilty of felonious assault and obstructing justice.
The shooting happened in the 400 block of West Market Street. According to the prosecutor’s office, Alford and Moore confronted Alexander when he was leaving the store and shots were fired. Following the shooting, Alexander was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.
At the time of the shooting, Moore was on probation for another case. He was given a 5-year prison term in addition to a 1-year sentence, to be served consecutively with his other case, authorities said.
“This was a senseless and evil act over a $60 debt. Dereke Alexander was a beloved brother, father, and son. The family and community will feel the pain of his loss for a long time,” said Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh. “Our community is safer as both Alford and Moore will spend a significant amount of time in prison.”
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