Jury recommends life sentence for double murder

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio jury has recommended a life sentence for a man convicted of aggravated murder in the bludgeoning deaths of an 85-year-old woman and her 43-year-old son.

The jury in Summit County Common Pleas Court here recommended Tuesday that 32-year-old Johnnie Cook, of Akron, be sentenced to life in prison without parole in the July 2009 killings of Julianna Grna and Alan Grna. They rejected recommending a death sentence.

Prosecutors say Cook beat the woman and her son on the head with a hammer-like object and stole personal property including a car, jewelry and cell phones.

Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands is scheduled to sentence Cook on Aug. 9.

Defense attorneys had suggested that others may have committed the murders and tried to frame Cook.