Man pleads guilty in 2012 homicide

October 2, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

A Hilton Avenue man pleaded guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter Wednesday for the death of a man who was shot in his front yard.

Walter Drake, 29, entered his plea before Mahoning County Common Pleas Judge Maureen Sweeney for the June 13, 2012, shooting death of Dion Weatherspoon in the driveway of Drake’s 246 Hilton Ave. home.

Prosecutors amended a charge of murder to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for Drake’s plea. They are recommending a sentence of 14 years, 11 for the charge and three more for a firearm specification. Defense attorney Lou DeFabio said he will be arguing for an eight-year sentence at Drake’s sentencing date, which has not been set yet.

Weatherspoon was found in Drake’s driveway with six bullet wounds. Police said Drake and Weatherspoon were friends but had gotten into a heated argument when Weatherspoon was shot, possibly over a theft or a woman.

About a day after Weatherspoon was killed, someone set fire to Drake’s home. The fire was ruled an arson.

Reports said there were witnesses who told police they saw Drake shoot Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon was killed about 11:30 a.m. in Drake’s yard.

Wednesday was the last scheduled pretrial hearing in the case. It was set for jury selection Monday.

DeFabio said his client knew every possible defense of the case and that they were prepared to argue self-defense should the case go to trial, but he added Drake still realized he could still be convicted of voluntary manslaughter if the case had gone to trial.

“He understands candidly [voluntary] manslaughter is a possible verdict, even if it went to a jury,” DeFabio told Judge Sweeney.