A 29-year-old man has been charged with aggravated murder and rape after allegedly stabbing a 16-year-old boy to death and sexually assaulting another teenager inside a Cleveland home.
Devin Thompson was indicted on October 21 by a Cuyahoga County grand jury in connection with Mitanna Penn’s death and the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office.
Prosecutors said the incident occurred just before 6 a.m. on Tuesday, October 13, at a home near Loop Drive and Division Avenue.
According to the prosecutor’s office, Penn and the other teen were asleep inside the house when Thompson walked in and stabbed Penn several times. The indictment alleges that he then sexually abused the second teen before escaping.
Officers from the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Cleveland Police, and Cleveland EMS arrived at the site. Penn was pronounced dead, and the assaulted teen was sent to a hospital.
Cleveland police arrested Thompson two days later, according to prosecutors. The Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office issued a statement describing the case as deeply unsettling and terrible. The defendant’s conduct shows total contempt for human life. We will seek justice for Mitanna Penn and any victims victimized by Devin Thompson.”
The indictment charges two counts of aggravated murder, one case of murder, two counts of aggravated burglary, five counts of rape, one act of kidnapping, and two counts of felonious assault.
Thompson is also charged with 13 charges of peddling sexually oriented matters with a minor or intoxicated person, 13 counts of unlawful sexual behavior with a minor, and single counts of tampering with evidence, menacing by stalking, and aggravated menacing.
According to prosecutors, Thompson had an active rape warrant at the time of the Oct. 13 incident. He has previously been indicted for rape, unlawful sexual conduct with a child, and other counts.
Thompson will be arraigned at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center later.
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