CLEVELAND — The 20-year-old man accused in connection to a murder in Cleveland Heights earlier this month, plus other charges dating back to 2022, pleaded not guilty on Monday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
During the arraignment, bond for Joseph Littlejohn was set at $1.5 million. He will be back in court for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 2.
Last week, Littlejohn was indicted by a grand jury on the following charges:
- Two counts of Aggravated Murder
- One count of Murder
- Four counts of Aggravated Robbery
- Two counts of Felonious Assault
- Two counts of Having Weapons While Under Disability
- One count of Kidnapping
- One count of Carrying a Concealed Weapon
- One count of Improperly Handling Firearms In A Motor Vehicle
- One count of Receiving Stolen Property
- One count of Arson
- One count of Theft
"Under the guise of purchasing merchandise, this individual has a pattern of luring people to a location and robbing them at gunpoint," said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley after the indictment was handed down. "Tragically, he murdered the last robbery victim."
Authorities say that on Jan. 4, Littlejohn and three other unidentified people met up with a 19-year-old woman to buy Apple Airpods from her after communicating on social media. The meeting happened at around 4:30 p.m. outside a residence near Superior Road and East Overlook Road in Cleveland Heights.
Shortly after the woman arrived at the residence, investigators say Littlejohn and his companions blocked her vehicle in the driveway with a black Jeep Grand Cherokee. All four individuals exited the Jeep wearing ski masks and armed with guns, one being a rifle-style weapon. They allegedly pointed their guns at her, stealing her phone, AirPods, and personal belongings before fleeing the scene in her vehicle and the Jeep Grand Cherokee they arrived in.
Approximately four hours later, 22-year-old Alexander Gurley showed up at the same East Overlook Road residence to sell clothing. Police say Littlejohn and at least one other person arrived in the same black Jeep Cherokee, firing several shots while robbing Gurley and leaving the area. Gurley was pronounced dead at the scene.
Previous charges against Littlejohn
The charges against Littlejohn in last week's indictment also include an incident from 2022. O'Malley's office noted that on Dec. 16, 2022, Littlejohn and a companion met up with a 28-year-old victim to buy an Xbox and accessories near his home near Maplecrest Avenue and West 54th Street in Parma after communicating on social media. Police say Littlejohn exited the vehicle and stated, "I'm taking this from you," before pulling out a long rifle and pointing it at the victim's chest. The victim initially refused to give over his property and Littlejohn fired one round off into the sky. The victim then gave Littlejohn the items, ran back to his residence and called the police. Littlejohn and the unidentified driver fled the scene, but he was arrested later that day and charged with aggravated robbery, theft and other charges. He posted bond in Jan. 2023 and was arraigned in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas where the original bond was continued.
The prosecutor's office says the 2022 aggravated robbery was re-indicted to include the January 2024 incidents.
Littlejohn also is accused of leading police on a chase while driving a stolen vehicle in Bratenahl on Sept. 11, 2023. Officers observed a stolen BMW doing donuts in various intersections of the city and engaged in multiple attempts to stop the vehicle. Each time police approached the BMW, it fled with high speed. Police disengaged the pursuit "in the interest of public safety" several times, however Littlejohn allegedly continued to return to the scene and taunted officers to chase him. As officers attempted to finally make the traffic stop, Littlejohn allegedly reversed and hit a police vehicle and a telephone pole, then continued to flee on foot. He was apprehended by the Bratenahl Police Department carrying a fully-loaded Glock 23 handgun.
Littlejohn was indicted by a grand jury and summoned to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas for arraignment on Oct. 11, 2023. He was charged with the following:
- 11 counts of Failure To Comply
- One count of Receiving Stolen Property
- One count of Improperly Handling Firearms In A Motor Vehicle
- One count of Unlawful Possession Of Dangerous Ordnance
The Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas reimposed Littlejohn’s original $5,000 bond and he was released the same day.