Elias Acevedo

Case overview

Elias Acevedo Sr. was sentenced to 445 years to life in prison without parole on December 30, 2013. He admitted killing two Cleveland women and admitted raping and sexually assaulting multiple family members. Prosecutors stated the sentence would be served as part of a plea agreement in which he admitted the killings and related sex crimes.

Background

Elias Acevedo Sr. was 49 years old. A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted him in the murders of two women killed nearly 19 years earlier. Prosecutors described him as a convicted sex offender. Elias Acevedo Sr. was on the radar of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force since at least August. The task force included FBI agents, Cleveland and Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority police, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s office. Prosecutors stated that attention to missing persons cold cases increased after the Ariel Castro case, and police increased their focus on missing persons and cold cases. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty described the investigation as “some of the finest police work I’ve seen in 40 years.”

The offence

Murders

Prosecutors said Elias Acevedo strangled 30-year-old Pamela Pemberton in October 1994 and left her body in a vacant lot near West 11th Street in Tremont. Three teenage boys found Pemberton’s body in the vacant field near West 11th Street. Authorities said Pemberton was manually strangled and likely sexually assaulted at the time of her death determination; her body had been dragged into some brush. Prosecutors said Elias Acevedo killed 18-year-old Christina Adkins in 1994 and 1995 was the year of her disappearance, with Adkins missing since January 1995. Adkins had been more than five months pregnant when she went missing in January 1995. Prosecutors said Adkins’ body was found in October inside a manhole between where several highways intersect. An identification card belonging to Adkins was found near the remains. In the indictment, Adkins was listed as “Jane Doe” until the body was positively identified by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s office.

Sex crimes and other offences involving family members

Elias Acevedo admitted to raping his sister-in-law in 1993. He also admitted to sexually assaulting his three daughters repeatedly for years. Prosecutors stated he had additional kidnapping and rape charges involving children, including multiple charges of rape and kidnapping involving two children under the age of 13 and sexual assault charges involving a third child. A 273-count indictment included multiple charges of rape and kidnapping involving two children under the age of 13 and sexual assault charges involving a third child. Another account said he faced 293 counts, including charges involving the rape and kidnapping of children. An additional allegation described a woman as the common-law wife of his brother, stating Acevedo was charged earlier this year with raping her in 1993. The woman said she was pressured not to prosecute at the time and that he strangled her during the rape and she may have lost consciousness. She had seven children and twins on the way at the time the case was closed.

Investigation

Elias Acevedo’s DNA profile was found during testing of a sexual assault evidence kit originally collected in 1993. The 1993 rape case was reopened as part of the county’s DNA Cold Case Task Force initiative after a rape kit collected 20-years earlier was tested for DNA evidence. The investigation involved FBI Violent Crime Task Force members and Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s detectives. An evidence recovery team located skeletal remains believed to be Adkins in an isolated triangle of land where several highway routes and ramps intersect just south of Interstate 90. The location where remains were found was described as not far from where Pemberton’s body was found, though separated by highways cutting through Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood. Contractors working at the Vega Avenue home where Acevedo lived during the 1990s found women’s underwear and women’s clothing sealed above plaster in the ceiling while preparing the home to be sold. A contractor said that about 15 pairs of women’s underwear and a box full of women’s clothing were found sealed above the plastered ceiling. A contractor said there was also a shirt he said looked like it belonged to a child between the ages of 8 and 10. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Michael Donnelly said he learned on Monday morning that prosecutors and defense attorneys had worked out a plea deal in the case.

Arrest

Elias Acevedo was arrested on June 11 in connection with a 1993 rape case after a rape kit taken at the time was tested for DNA evidence. He was held in the Cuyahoga County Jail. Prosecutors stated he failed to register his address as ordered after he was classified a sex offender following a 2003 sexual battery conviction.

Trial

Pretrial proceedings and courtroom remarks

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Michael Donnelly set a Feb. 24 trial date for Elias Acevedo Sr. for the murders of two women and additional sex crimes. Defense attorneys had asked for a May trial date, citing thousands of pieces of evidence including a 10-hour video of investigators questioning Acevedo about the sex crimes and murders. Judge Donnelly said: “Make no mistake this is a top priority case on my docket,” and “I want to keep the case moving.” Judge Donnelly said he expected a court report assessing whether Acevedo was competent to stand trial to be completed within two weeks. Earlier reports in other criminal cases had found him to be competent. Judge Donnelly set the trial date after defense requested a later date and after prosecutors expected additional charges.

Sentencing

On December 30, 2013, Elias Acevedo Sr. was sentenced to 445 years to life in prison without parole. Prosecutors stated the sentencing occurred as part of a plea agreement. Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Blaise Thomas said Acevedo would never be paroled from prison. Prosecutors stated the sentence agreed to totaled 445 years for all the crimes. Judge Donnelly said the sentence was the harshest sentence he said he has ever doled out. Judge Donnelly said the sentence was appropriate and more humane than what Acevedo had imposed on his victims. As part of the agreement, prosecutors would not charge Acevedo with additional crimes related to the six victims in the case. Prosecutors could charge him in cases involving other victims. Acevedo agreed not to profit in any way from the crimes. Elias Acevedo’s attorney, Bret Jordan, said Acevedo had mental health issues and had agreed to cooperate with FBI analysts to help prevent future crimes. Jordan said: “He has shown extraordinary remorse for everything that happened,” and this was stated as his explanation for the plea cooperation and remorse. Acevedo sobbed as his daughters and victims’ families spoke and was initially not going to speak.

Admissions made at the plea hearing

Elias Acevedo admitted to killing two Cleveland women as part of the plea agreement. He admitted to raping his sister-in-law in 1993. He admitted to sexually assaulting his three daughters repeatedly for years. The admissions described in court included that when Pemberton refused to have sex with him and yelled at him, he raped and strangled her, leaving her body in a wooded area where neighborhood boys later discovered it. It was described that 2 ½ months later he ran into Adkins on West 25th Street, and she was five months pregnant and upset. He was described as convincing Adkins to walk with him to an area near a highway interchange. When she resisted having sex with him, he raped her. When she threatened to tell her boyfriend and Acevedo’s wife what happened, Acevedo said he snapped and killed her and put her body into a nearby utility vault where it stayed for 18 years. An additional statement said Acevedo was one of the last people seen with Adkins before she disappeared. It was stated that his name in the initial police report was incorrectly listed as Eliza Rivera.

Appeals

No appeal outcome was provided.

Outcome

Elias Acevedo Sr. entered a plea agreement under which he admitted to killing two women and to other sex crimes. Prosecutors stated that the plea agreement prevented a death penalty case. Blaise Thomas said Acevedo would never be paroled. The total sentence was 445 years to life in prison without parole.

Aftermath

Three of Acevedo’s daughters, now grown, gave statements about how years of rape and abuse had damaged them. One daughter said: “You have changed my life forever,” and also said: “You robbed me of my childhood...I have lived in fear but I will no longer.” The Plain Dealer normally did not identify victims of rape; the case participants consented to revealing their relationship to the attacker. The women’s aunt spoke about how Acevedo raped her 20 years earlier when she was 18 years old and 5 ½ months pregnant with his brother’s child. She reported the rape but did not go forward with charges because she was afraid. She said: “I am grateful I can stand here today as one of his survivors,” and “Back then I was the coward, but I’m not a coward anymore.” It was stated that the aunt was key in helping investigators after her 1993 rape case was reopened as part of the DNA Cold Case Task Force initiative and after a rape kit was tested. FBI Special Agent Andrew Burke described how Acevedo was first confronted with evidence related to chronic sexual abuse of his daughters and that he eventually admitted to those crimes. Burke described Acevedo’s interactions and the evidence leading to the admissions. Acevedo stood and apologized to the Pemberton and Adkins families and asked for forgiveness from his daughters. Acevedo said: “I can’t describe the regret and shame I have for what I’ve done..,” and “I wish I could bring your daughters back.” Pamela Pemberton’s sister Sheila said it was horrifying to wonder for the past 19 years about who killed her sister. Sheila said: “It took me years to stop crying every day.” Christina’s sister Tonia said nothing Acevedo could say would ever be good enough to bring back what was taken from the family. Tonia Adkins said: “We never stopped looking for her,” and “Our hearts have been torn wide open.” She also said: “But now, she said, they can begin to heal.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Anthony said: “We hope that this continues,” and also said attention could now focus on the disappearance of 14-year-old Ashley Summers in 2007 and the unsolved murder of 10-year-old Amy Mihaljevic, who was killed in 1989. The judge said he expected the case to move forward and described it as a top priority on his docket. Judge Donnelly said he learned about the plea arrangement on Monday morning.

Timeline

• June 11 — Elias Acevedo was arrested in connection with a 1993 rape case after a rape kit was tested for DNA evidence.
• October 17 — A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Acevedo in the murders of two women killed nearly 19 years earlier.
• October 18 — Contractors found women’s underwear and women’s clothing sealed above a plaster ceiling at the Vega Avenue home where Acevedo lived during the 1990s.
• October 24 — Pamela Pemberton’s body was found near Clark Field, close to West 11th Street; Adkins was reported missing since January 1995, and Adkins’ body was found in October in a manhole.
• December 2 — A judge set a Feb.
• December 30, 2013 — Acevedo was sentenced to 445 years to life in prison without parole as part of a plea agreement.

Other details

Elias Acevedo had a criminal history described as dating back to 1988, including theft and receiving stolen property. A separate account stated he had a 2003 rape and kidnapping case for which he served three years in prison. It was stated he confessed to the kidnapping, rape and murder of two women in the mid-1990s. A statement said Acevedo lived on the same block as Ariel Castro during the 1990s. The information provided included paternity testing showing that Acevedo fathered a child with one member of his own family.