A 45-year-old Akron man was scheduled to go on trial Monday over a January shooting death at a West Akron bar but instead pleaded guilty to murder.
Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Scot Stevenson sentenced Willie S. Hicks III to 18 years to life in prison.
Hicks was arrested for shooting Lentheric Caldwell, 39, of Akron, with a shotgun at about 11 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Hi-De-Ho Lounge on Vernon Odom Boulevard. The two men got into an argument inside the bar that continued outside. Caldwell went back inside, while Hicks stayed outside but returned about 10 minutes later, armed with a shotgun, and shot Caldwell, according to a news release from the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office.
Caldwell was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center where he died. Several people witnessed the shooting, police said.
Hicks pleaded guilty Monday to murder with a firearm specification and having a weapon under disability. Prosecutors dropped other charges against him, including aggravated murder.
Hicks also pleaded guilty to an unrelated breaking-and-entering charge.
Stevenson sentenced Hicks to 15 years to life for the murder charge and another three years for the firearm specification, the maximum possible term. He also sentenced Hicks to 11 months for the breaking-and-entering charge and 12 months for a probation violation, with those terms to be served concurrent with his 18-years-to-life term.
Hicks was serving a year of probation for felonious assault in the stabbing of his son last year.
Several members of Caldwell’s family spoke at the sentencing, saying Caldwell was a special man and they were devastated by his loss.
Hicks apologized to the family before being sentenced. His attorneys, Jon Sinn and Scott Rilley, said he took full responsibility for the shooting.