CLEVELAND — A 19-year-old Akron teen has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a 19-year-old.
Last month, a Summit County jury found Christopher Blue guilty on the following charges related to the killing of Owen Barzal:
- Murder with a Gun Specification – a Special Felony
- Felonious Assault with a Gun Specification – a Felony of the 2nd Degree
- Tampering with Evidence – a Felony of the 3rd Degree
On Friday, Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Kelly McLaughlin issued Blue a life sentence, with the first possibility of parole coming after 24 years. The sentencing comes nearly two years after Blue is alleged to have fatally shot Barzal after luring him outside of a home on Bernice Street.
Investigators later found Blue’s phone in the backseat of Barzal’s car. Blue’s phone contained Snapchat messages asking Barzal to come to Akron. Blue’s DNA was also found on the murder weapon, which was recovered from Blue’s home.
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