CLEVELAND — Just over two weeks before his trial was set to begin, David McDaniel has instead decided to plead guilty to the 2020 murder of both Cleveland Police Detective James Skernivitz and a 50-year-old civilian.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O'Malley confirmed the news Thursday, saying McDaniel agreed to plead guilty to two counts of aggravated murder and two counts of aggravated robbery. In exchange, the 21-year-old will almost certainly avoid the death penalty.
"The death of Detective Skernivitz and the citizen who volunteered to assist him were a result of senseless acts of gun violence and remains a heart-breaking day for our community," O'Malley said in a statement. "This tragedy has impacted all of us, and I hope today helps provide the families, fellow officers, and our community with some semblance of justice."
Authorities had said McDaniel, Kevin Robinson, and a 15-year-old boy approached both the 53-year-old Skernivitz and informant Scott Dingess on the night of Sept. 3, 2020, as the pair sat in the detective's unmarked police car preparing for an undercover drug operation. In an attempt to rob the victims, the trio of suspects fired multiple gunshots, and both Skernivitz and Dingess eventually died from their injuries at MetroHealth Medical Center.
All three suspects were arrested within a week, with the then 18-year-old McDaniel charged as an adult and the then 17-year-old Robinson along with the 15-year-old initially charged as juveniles. Prosecutors later filed a revised indictment against McDaniel that would've put the death penalty on the table with a conviction.
Robinson was re-charged as an adult and pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and robbery last July, receiving a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 28 years. The 15-year-old's case remained in juvenile court, where he also pleaded guilty and could potentially be released when he turns 21.
Three other adults also faced lesser charges in connection with the murders: Both Brittany Cremeans and Antonio Darby pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence and obstructing justice and received 18-month prison sentences, while Rodney Cremeans admitted to attempting the same crimes and got two years of probation.
Skernivitz was a 25-year veteran of the Cleveland Division of Police. With the COVID-19 pandemic still at its height, his funeral was held at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, with then U.S. Attorney General William Barr among those in attendance.
McDaniel, who has been held in the Cuyahoga County Jail since his arrest on a $3 million bond, also pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of abduction in an unrelated case. The Cleveland native will be sentenced on April 13, potentially facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.