AKRON, Ohio — An Akron man has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering a 34-year-old woman in 2022.
Quinton Nixon, 33, received his sentence from Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Christine Croce on Wednesday. Nixon will be eligible for parole after serving 21 years of his sentence.
“Quinton Nixon shot and killed Toni Westover. He deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison. Thank you to the Akron Police Department and my assistant prosecutors for their hard work in getting justice for Toni,” said Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich in a statement.
After a bench trial, Croce found Nixon guilty of the following felony charges:
- Two counts of murder with gun specifications
- Felonious assault with a gun specification
- Tampering with evidence
The Summit County Prosecutor's Office added that because Nixon was found guilty of a violent crime, Croce placed Nixon on Ohio’s Violent Crime Registry. That means that if Nixon is released from prison, he must register with the local sheriff every year for ten years.
CASE HISTORY
Akron police say Westover was fatally shot around 2:20 a.m. on July 25, 2022 in the 2200 block of Maryland Avenue in the city's Kenmore neighborhood.
Nearly one month later on August 24, 2022, Nixon was arrested by Akron police following a SWAT standoff at a home on Gridley Avenue. An AR-15 rifle and shotgun were recovered at the residence.
Kolkovich's office adds that following the bench trial, Croce also found Nixon guilty of improperly handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle from a separate incident that happened in June 2022. That incident involved a report of shots fired on Kenmore Boulevard near Manchester Road. Nixon was arrested by Akron police for firing a gun from his vehicle.
