CANTON, Ohio (AP) — A man sentenced to death for killing three women in suburban Cleveland has pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and other charges in the shooting deaths of an Ohio couple.
George Brinkman, of Plain Township, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Canton in the 2017 deaths of 71-year-old Rogell "Gene" John and 64-year-old Roberta "Bobbi" John at their Lake Township home, where he was house-sitting.
They were killed less than a day after the women in North Royalton, 42-year-old Suzanne Taylor, and her daughters, 21-year-old Taylor Pifer and 18-year-old Kylie Pifer were killed. Brinkman also pleaded guilty in those slayings and was sentenced to death in December of 2018. Brinkman said he would not appeal the decision. The execution date was set for January 15, 2020.
In addition to the death sentence, Brinkman was sentenced to 36 more years of prison for the kidnapping and abuse he committed while carrying out the murders.
Court records say Brinkman cut Suzanne's throat, strangled Kylie with a telephone cord and smothered Taylor to death. Their bodies were discovered in their home on June 11, 2017.
A three-judge panel was hearing the sentencing phase of the Canton trial Wednesday.
An attorney for Brinkman has said Brinkman was emotionally abused as a child and has mental health problems.