CANTON, Ohio — Sean Goe, a Stark County man who was found guilty in the murder of 24-year-old Raychel Sheridan, has been sentenced to serve 29 years to life in prison.
“Mr. Goe, you sold your soul to the devil," Stark County Common Pleas Court Judge Frank Forchione said after announcing his decision on sentencing.
The judge said this case was "without a doubt the most brutal murder that I've seen."
"It’s appalling. It’s heartbreaking," Judge Forchione continued. "Raychel Sheridan was beaten so severely that the sheriff deputy who saw her body couldn’t identify her based on her own photo.”
Judge Forchione also labeled Goe as "morally bankrupt" with "no fiber of decency."
"Displaying the lowest level for human life, you then wrapped the body in a sheet and dumped it in a park near Mother Gooseland," the judge said. This is the person that at one point you claimed that you were in love with. Instead, you threw her in the trash like a piece of garbage.”
According to Stark County court records, a jury found Goe guilty of multiple charges on Friday, Nov. 8.
Goe was previously accused of murdering his girlfriend Sheridan and dumping her body in a Canton park, where it was found by city sanitation workers on July 2. In August, a grand jury indicted Goe on the following list of charges:
- Murder
- Felonious assault
- Burglary
- Tampering with evidence
- Grand theft
- Gross abuse of a corpse
CASE DETAILS
The Stark County Sheriff’s Office says it was 12:32 p.m. on July 2 when deputies were called to the 4100 block of Orchard Dale Drive NW in Plain Township “in reference to a missing woman” who had been identified as Sheridan.
“While at the scene, deputies observed a maroon Jeep Liberty, known to be registered to Raychel, traveling on Guilford Ave NW in Plain Township,” according to a previous press release from the Stark County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon stopping the vehicle, deputies said they made contact with the driver -- identified as Goe -- who then allegedly fled on foot.
Goe was arrested early the next morning by the Canton Police Department at a homeless shelter on active warrants for burglary, grand theft of a firearm and domestic violence.
“As a result of the search warrant executed at the apartment of Raychel Sheridan and Sean Goe, evidence was recovered indicating foul play,” according to the Stark County Sheriff’s Office. “Detectives have determined that Sheridan was murdered inside the apartment.”
Sheridan’s body was found by Canton sanitation workers around 9:24 a.m. on July 3 in a park within the southwest area of the city, authorities said.
3News' Justin McMullen contributed to this report.
