PAINESVILLE, Ohio — The suspect accused of the 2019 murder of a popular Northeast Ohio businessman has changed his plea to guilty.
According to the Painesville Police Department, Demarco Jones of Willowick has pled guilty to a charge of aggravated murder relating to the killing of Tim Meola. Jones, who was 17 years old at the time of the murder, had his $2 million bond revoked and will be sentenced on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, at 2 p.m.
Meola, the owner of Meola Catering and Guyreino's Deli in Ashtabula, was found dead inside his Painesville home on the morning of Sept. 7, 2019. The 65-year-old had not shown up for work, and his stolen car was later found in Euclid.
Nearly three years passed before Painesville police and U.S. Marshals arrested Jones in July 2022. Authorities have not indicated Jones' possible motive for killing Meola, and court records have shown he had no prior adult arrests.
More crime coverage from WKYC:
- Man sentenced to 6 years in jail after robbing two Cleveland mail carriers
- 20-year-old man found stabbed multiple times in South Euclid
- New details after 6-year-old shot teacher in Virginia classroom
- 'I'm just in limbo': Euclid woman's stolen Kia is found, but nightmare continues
- Medina teacher charged with possession of child pornography, attempting to meet teen for sex
- Man racks up 70th arrest, this time for shoplifting at South Euclid Walmart
- Cleveland Police: Man shoots woman, dog, then himself at home
- No charges for driver after 3-year-old dies in Castleton hit-and-run crash
- 20-year-old man charged with murder in north Columbus gas station shooting arrested
- Father of Idaho murder victim says Kohberger was 'overwhelmed' in court
- Rapper Young Thug to go to trial in gang, racketeering case
- Woman in custody after reportedly shooting husband in east Columbus
- Toledo to Dundee police chase ends with fatal crash, fire
- NJ woman sentenced on state charges for role in $400K GoFundMe scam