Cleveland Man Sentenced For Raping Teen, Killing 94-Year-Old

CLEVELAND — Cornelius Pames was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Thursday for numerous crimes he committed in Slavic Village in 2018.

Pames, 27, previously pleaded guilty to charges of rape, involuntary manslaughter, attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated burglary, and gross sexual imposition. Besides being sentenced to four decades in prison, he will also be classified as a Tier III sex offender, requiring him to register his location with the state every 90 days.

“This individual is a monster who terrorized Slavic Village during this three-week crime wave,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “We hope that this will bring a sense of closure to the victims and some tranquility to the residents of this neighborhood.”

On Aug. 17, 2018, Pames failed to report to his parole officer after being released from prison, court documents said. He was previously sentenced for felonious assault, burglary, and theft. He also had juvenile charges for rape, aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

On Sept. 12, 2018, Pames met a 14-year-old girl at a home on Gertrude Avenue, near E. 65th Street. He pushed the girl onto a bed, repeatedly tried to kiss her and was eventually shoved off of the girl, court documents said.

Five days later, on Sept. 17, a 94-year-old woman and her 74-year-old daughter were visiting family on Gertrude Avenue. Pames broke into the home by pushing a window air conditioning unit through a window, court documents said, and then assaulted both women. He stole a cellphone, iPad, jewelry and cash before running off, court documents said.

When police arrived, the 94-year-old woman was declared dead. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office ruled the woman died after she was hit in the head and neck, making her death a homicide, court documents noted.

The 74-year-old was treated for multiple injuries, court documents said.

Pames was linked to the break-in using DNA evidence, investigators said.

On Oct. 1, 2018, a 16-year-old girl was doing her homework at her Park Avenue apartment, near E. 74th Street. Pames broke into her unit using a crowbar and then sexually assaulted the girl several times, threatened to kill both her and her mother if she told anyone, and then duct taped her to a chair, court documents said.

When Cleveland police arrived at the apartment, they collected a sexual assault kit. That evidence later linked Pames to the crime, court documents said.

He was taken into custody on Oct. 15, 2018 and later pleaded guilty to all of the charges against him.