Corinio Pruitt

Case record

Parties

Corinio Pruitt (also identified as Corinio Allen Pruitt) was convicted of first degree murder in the death of 79 year-old Lawrence Guidroz.

The offence

Corinio Pruitt carjacked and beat Lawrence Guidroz as he was leaving an Oakhaven grocery store in August 2005. Lawrence Guidroz was beaten to death in a carjacking.

Trial

A jury convicted Corinio Pruitt of first degree murder. Almost 3 years later, a jury found him guilty of the murder.

Sentencing

A jury sentenced Corinio Pruitt to death in March 2008. Corinio Pruitt was sentenced to death on March 1, 2008.

Other details

Lawrence Guidroz lived in a house on Kingsgate Avenue in Oakhaven. Troy Taylor said: "A friend of mine for 17 years. I get kind of choked up talking about it. He was just goodness. He would pick up paper out the street just to keep the neighborhood clean." Brian Pilgrim said, "He mainly didn't do nothing but go back and forth to the store. That's about the only time he left in his car but it was everybody around here knew him real good and they miss him." Troy Taylor also said, "Senseless. Senseless. You know your heart goes out when you hear about crime in the city that you ask the question why. When I first heard about it I was angry. Then I thought about mr. Lawrence. I know he probably would forgive the young man but like I said the punishment fits the crime." Troy Taylor questioned the death penalty and doubted it would deter crime.