Jury rejects death penalty for man who burned car with body in trunk

COLUMBUS (AP) -- A jury decided to spare the life of a man convicted of the shooting death of a woman whose body was found in the trunk of her burning car in Youngstown.
The Franklin County Common Pleas Court panel recommended life in prison without chance of parole Tuesday for George Ware, 28. Sentencing is set for Dec. 9.
"Thank you, Jesus," Ware's mother, Doriska Riley, said in the gallery of the courtroom after hearing the verdict.
The same jury convicted Ware last week of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, arson and abuse of a corpse in the death of Suzanne Dalton, 43, of Columbus.
According to trial testimony, Dalton met Ware at a Columbus bar and left with him, apparently to give him a ride home. Ware robbed her, shot her and drove her car to his hometown of Youngstown, where he set the car on fire.
Dalton's relatives said the verdict may help them to move on with their lives.
"He will not be out on the street again to do this to anybody else," said Kim Strup, one of Dalton's sisters.
Dalton's husband, Richard, her mother, two sisters and other relatives from Bryan in Williams County attended the trial and post-trial hearings.
The Daltons have two children, a daughter, 7, and son, 3.