CLEVELAND — 50-year-old Jamar Skanes and 35-year-old Alontez Beasley have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after both were found guilty of multiple charges connected to the murder of 29-year-old Alyson Appling-France, a Cleveland mom who was shot in front of her two young daughters.
“These are horrible crimes in and of themselves," said Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Brendan J. Sheehan. "The details of the crimes that you’ve committed are even worse. We’ve seen a week-long trial of both of you stalking Alyson Appling-France for days. Hunting her. Hunting her. And thank goodness for the great work of the Cleveland Police Department and our homicide unit because they showed us this hunting. Their Crime Strategy Unit, the videos, the cameras in this community, showed both of you, both of you, out there hunting, stalking this victim. What’s sad is on Jan. 5, you tried. It didn’t get done. The messages and the text messages and the evidence that came into this trial showed that you were hired to kill this lady. This community and this jury and this court watched the actions that both of you took on Jan. 10 as Miss Alyson Appling-France and her two children went shopping at Target and when they returned home, watching as you, Mr. Beasley, got out of that van and you, Mr. Skanes, sitting in that truck as you brutally executed her in front of her children. It was cold. It was calculated. Murder. Completely devoid of any humanity. Even now, neither of you have shown one bit of remorse to anyone here."
You can watch the full sentencing hearing in the video below:
The judge told Skanes and Beasley they both sold their lives "for that bit of money you got to kill a young mother."
"True justice in this case is beyond the reach of this court," Judge Sheehan continued. "But this court values lives, especially the lives of little children you terrorized and scarred when they had to witness their own mother getting gunned down inches away from them. These little girls cannot live in fear that someday you’re free in this world.”
A third suspect in the case -- identified as 44-year-old Clarence Bennett -- remains on the loose.
“These two men are heinous individuals,” added Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley in a statement after the sentencing. “They deserve to spend the rest of their lives behind bars without a chance to re-enter society. I pray her children can recover from witnessing the horrific execution of their mother.”
CASE DETAILS
It was back on Jan. 10 when Bennett allegedly followed Appling-France to a Target store in Cleveland.
"He watched Alyson Appling-France exit her driver’s vehicle with her two daughters, ages 6 and 10, and enter Target,” according to a previous press release from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office. “He then waited until she exited the store and re-entered the vehicle. He informed Jamar Skanes and Alontez Beasley she was heading back to her apartment with her two daughters.”
When Appling-France’s driver pulled the vehicle into her apartment complex near Detroit Avenue and Berea Road, Skanes and Beasley were waiting for her to arrive.
“As the victim opened the vehicle door and began to unload groceries, Beasley approached her and shot her 17 times within seconds,” according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office. “Skanes and Beasley then fled the scene.”
Appling-France was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Skanes and Beasley were both arrested on Jan. 26, but anybody with information regarding Bennett’s whereabouts is asked to call 1-866-4WANTED.
CONVICTIONS
Both Skanes and Beasley were convicted of the following charges connected to the case back in late August:
Skanes was found guilty of:
- One count of aggravated murder
- One count of conspiracy to commit murder
- Two counts of murder
- Five counts of felonious assault
Beasley was found guilty of:
- One count of aggravated murder
- One count of conspiracy to commit murder
- Two counts of murder
- One count of involuntary manslaughter
- Five counts of felonious assault
- One count of having weapons while under disability
COMMENTS IN THE COURTROOM
Victim's mother
Prior to the judge handing down sentencing, the victim's mother, Ayesha Appling, offered a brief statement.
“I am in a maze of grief," she said in part. "I’m in a situation I never thought possible. It’s a nightmare. What my daughter experienced is sick. A lot of egos were at play on this young, beautiful girl. 29 years old. No chance to be human. No chance to be a mom. To see her daughters graduate. To see her daughters go to Homecoming.”
When the judge asked how the two girls are doing, Appling's mother said she has custody of both "beautiful, precious girls who are being strong, attending counseling."
"They’re doing good because of God.”
Victim's friend
One of the victim's friends, Kennesha Ballard, faced Kanes and Beasley when she made her remarks.
“I just want to say may God have mercy on your soul for taking someone away from her daughters," Ballard said. "You guys did something so heinous, so disgusting in front of her kids. You’re smirking now, and you guys have kids. I just pray that God have mercy on your soul.”
BEASLEY & SKANES
While Beasley did not speak, Skanes did offer a statement.
“I’m sorry for anything that happened," he said just moments before the judge announced his decision on sentencing. "I’m just sorry. I didn’t do anything wrong to be here. I’m not raised like this. I’m not. I had no idea all this was going on. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It bothers me that I am accused of taking a woman’s life. I don’t know the woman. I don’t know the kids. Deep in my heart I feel like garbage because that’s not how my mom has raised me. This is not me at all. For ya’ll saying things about me, you don’t know me. I am terrified about what is about to happen because I am not a killer.”
His attorney made the same argument.
“All he did was sit in an automobile for several hours," his defense said. "He never aided and abetted. He was never involved. Witnesses have testified that there was no overt acts by him.”
The judge was quick to question those claims.
"Why were you there then?" Judge Sheehan asked.
“He was taking me to work," Skanes replied.
“If I was going to work, I wouldn’t be in a car all day sitting there waiting to go to work," the judge continued. "You sat in a car from 9 in the morning to 8 p.m. You were not concerned about getting to work?”
“Yes I was, your Honor," Skanes said.
Judge Sheehan also had these additional words for Skanes.
“You’re just as guilty as the shooter," he said. "You were in that car. You’re the bank driver, the guy who’s sitting in the car as the guy goes into the bank and robs the bank. You’re just as guilty as the guy who was robbing the bank. You were complicit in this murder, and this court found you guilty of those offenses. I’ve found that you acted in concurrence with Mr. Beasley. The fact that you stood here and tried to act like you had no idea what was going on is disgusting to this court, because you knew. You were there. It was clear as day what was going on in that van. Thank God for video cameras because the video cameras of the trucking company showed you sitting in that van. Sitting there with Mr. Beasley. Sitting in that gas station talking with Mr. Beasley. Pumping gas for that truck. And then, after that horrific murder, not saying a word. You’re just as guilty as far as this court is concerned.”