Ohioan Found Guilty Of Punching, Killing 83-Year-Old

CLEVELAND — An Ohio man was found guilty of punching and killing an 83-year-old at a gas station in Independence. A judge sentenced the man to life in prison.

Cronie Lloyd, 48, from Cleveland was found guilty of murder this week. He was accused of killing Gary Power, 83, at an Independence gas station on February 3, 2019. After the verdict was returned, a judge immediately sentenced Lloyd to life in prison.

“This defendant inexplicably attacked an 83-year-old man over a minor fender-bender,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “The quick and diligent work by Independence police helped bring this defendant to justice.”

On February 3, Lloyd and Power were both at a cocktail bar on Rockside Road in Independence. They did not know each other and did not interact at the bar. However, they both left at the same time and got into a fender bender. They drove to a nearby gas station to examine the damage.

Surveillance footage shows the two men talking before Lloyd punches Power in the head. Power falls to the ground, unconscious.

Lloyd then got back into his car and drove off. Independence police came to the gas station and took Power to the hospital. The 83-year-old died two days later.

DNA evidence was found on the side of Power's car and on a cigar butt found near the scene. The DNA linked Lloyd to the killing. Police then took Lloyd into custody at his job in Ravenna on February 8.

After a four-day trial this month, a jury found Lloyd guilty of murder and felonious assault. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.