Cleveland Man Accused Of Double Murder On Memorial Day

CLEVELAND — Jamell Gaines has been accused of murdering two people on Memorial Day, robbing a coworker at gunpoint and sexually assaulting a 6-year-old, prosecutors announced.

“The increased levels of violence that we have seen this year continue to haunt our community,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said. “I urge all individuals to please, put down the guns and stop this senseless violence.”

On May 25, 2020, Gaines shot a 31-year-old man who was sitting on a front porch on W. 85th Street, prosecutors said. Gaines then saw a car stopped at a traffic light near W. 80th and Detroit Avenue, forced himself inside the vehicle, shot the teenage driver, dragged his body out of the car and then drove away, the indictment said.

Cleveland police and EMS took both the 31-year-old and 17-year-old to nearby hospitals, where they both later died.

Less than two weeks later, on June 5, Gaines pulled a gun on a coworker and demanded he drive to an ATM and give Gaines cash, prosecutors said.

Law enforcement identified Gaines as a suspect and took him into custody in mid-August. He is being held at Cuyahoga County Jail on a $5 million bond.

While investigating Gaines, police discovered he had sexually assaulted a 6-year-old from January through March 2020, prosecutors said.

Gaines was indicted on the following charges:

• Three counts of gross sexual imposition
• Two counts of aggravated murder
• Two counts of murder
• Two counts of felonious assault
• One count of aggravated robbery
• One count of discharge of firearm on or near prohibited premises
• Two counts of having weapons under disability

For the robbery of a coworker, he faces the following charges:

• One count of aggravated robbery
• Two counts of robbery
• One count of abduction
• Two counts of having weapons under disability
• One count of aggravated menacing