CLEVELAND — DaJuan Evans, a 24-year-old Cleveland man, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in connection to the 2019 killing of Sheila Wallace at McGowan Park in Cleveland.
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Evans pleaded guilty to the following charges in connection with the incident:
- One count of involuntary manslaughter with a 3-year firearm specification
- One count of felonious assault with a 1-year firearm specification
“The Wallace family has waited over five years for answers,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “I want to thank the Cleveland Homicide Initiative for never forgetting about the tragic homicide of Sheila Wallace and working tirelessly to determine who was responsible.”
CASE DETAILS
The case dates back to Jan. 17, 2019, when Wallace was walking her small dog in McGowan Park around 7 p.m. as part of her normal routine.
Authorities say Evans and another male had crossed paths with her.
"Evans stopped, turned around, and fired four shots," according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. "One shot struck her in the head, one shot struck her in the chest, and the two additional shots missed her. Evans and the additional male then fled the scene. Soon after, residents discovered Sheila Wallace and called the police."
Wallace was pronounced dead at the scene. The gun had not been located.
Then, nearly three months later on April 3, the prosecutor’s office says there was an unrelated shooting near West 48th Street and Storer Avenue in Cleveland.
“That gun was later linked through a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) lead to the McGowan Park murder,” the prosecutor’s office explains. “Further investigation linked DaJuan Evans to the firearm used in the Wallace homicide.”
The prosecutor’s office says DNA evidence, a NIBIN lead, witness testimony and video evidence linked Evans to the crime.
3News' Ryan Haidet contributed to this report.