Anthony Kirkland is a serial killer who murdered five females in Cincinnati, Ohio, between 1987 and 2009.
He was sentenced to death in 2010 for two of his killings.
Kirkland’s first victim was his girlfriend, Leola Douglas, who he raped and killed after she refused to have sex with him in 1987.
He then set her body on fire to destroy evidence. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and served 16 years in prison.
After his release in 2004, Kirkland went on a killing spree that claimed the lives of four more females: Casonya Crawford, 14, Mary Jo Newton, 45, Kimya Rolison, 25, and Esme Kenney, 13.
He strangled three of them and burned all of their bodies.
Kirkland was arrested near the scene of his last murder in 2009 when he was found with Kenney’s watch and iPod.
He confessed to all of his crimes during police interrogation.
Kirkland’s trial was marked by controversy and delays.
He initially pleaded guilty to two of the murders and was found guilty of the other two by a jury.
The jury recommended a death sentence, which was imposed by the judge.
However, in 2016, the Ohio Supreme Court overturned Kirkland’s death sentence and ordered a new sentencing hearing.
The court ruled that the prosecutor had made improper remarks during the closing argument that prejudiced the jury against Kirkland.
In 2018, Kirkland was resentenced to death by a new jury after another trial.
The jury heard testimony from Kirkland’s relatives, who described his abusive childhood, and from experts, who diagnosed him with mental disorders.
The jury also heard from the victims’ families, who expressed their grief and anger.
Kirkland is currently on death row at the Chillicothe Correctional Institution.
He has exhausted his state appeals and is pursuing federal appeals.
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