Jury convicts two people in murder of Cleveland woman in front of her children

CLEVELAND, Ohio — A Cuyahoga County jury found two men guilty Tuesday of fatally shooting a 29-year-old Cleveland woman as she unloaded groceries from her car. Her two young daughters watched as they were killed.

Jamar Skanes, 50, of Garfield Heights, and Alontez Beasley, 35, of Cleveland were both found guilty of aggravated murder, two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the January slaying of Alyson Appling-France, according to a news release from Cuyahoga County District Attorney Michael O'Malley.

“Alontez Beasley and Jamar Skanes brutally murdered Alyson Appling-France in front of her two young children,” O'Malley said in a statement. “Today they were held accountable.”

According to prosecutors, Skanes, Beasley and a third suspect, Clarence Bennett, 43, of Cleveland, went to Appling-France's apartment complex near Detroit Avenue and Berea Road on Jan. 10 and began an eight-hour surveillance, following her as she walked to a nearby Target.

Bennett waited outside the store until she left, then followed her back to her apartment complex where Skanes and Beasley were waiting.

As Appling-France began unloading groceries from the car she was riding in, she was shot 17 times in front of her children, ages 6 and 10, prosecutors say. The driver of the vehicle took Appling-France to a hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries.

Clarence Bennett remains a fugitive in this case. I urge the public if you have any information on the whereabouts of Clarence Bennett to call the U.S. Marshals at 1.866.4.WANTED.”

The victim's driver drove into the Appling-France apartment complex near Detroit Avenue and Berea Road in Cleveland. Jamar Skanes and Alontez Beasley were there waiting for their arrival. As the victim opened the car door and began unloading groceries, Beasley approached her and shot her 17 times with an automatic firearm within seconds. Skanes and Beasley then fled the scene. The victim's driver immediately drove them to a nearby hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Cleveland Police arrived at the scene. On January 26, Skanes and Beasley were arrested.

Skanes and Beasley were also found guilty on five counts of aggravated assault, while Beasley was also convicted on one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of possession of a weapon while under disability. Both will be sentenced on October 8 at 8:30 a.m.

The U.S. Marshals Service is currently searching for Bennett. He is charged with one count of aggravated murder, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, one count of involuntary manslaughter, five counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a weapon while under disability.