ELYRIA – The third man police say was involved in a murder-for-hire plot that led to the slaying of Willie Fisher was arraigned Friday morning.
John Sullivan, 29, of East Cleveland, was arraigned by video in Elyria Municipal Court before Judge Gary Bennett. Sullivan has been charged with aggravated murder in connection to the killing of Fisher on July 6 near the Convenient Food Mart on East Avenue.
Police say Bruce Arnoff, 56, of Solon, paid Sullivan and Patrick Gall, 18, of East Cleveland, $500 to murder Fisher. Arnoff and Gall were arraigned on murder and aggravated murder, respectively, and their cases were bound over to the grand jury for consideration of indictment.
Arnoff was arrested in connection to the murder on July 7, and Gall was arrested the following week after a standoff at his East Cleveland home with U.S. Marshals. Police originally put out a warrant for the wrong man, after Gall had used the other man’s identity in a traffic stop in Brooklyn just hours after Fisher’s body was found.
Sullivan, however, was driving the car with Gall as a passenger during the traffic stop by Brooklyn police on Interstate 480 less than four hours after police found Fisher’s body. While Gall was released, Sullivan was held on an unrelated warrant out of Maple Heights; he was also charged with having weapons under disability.
A warrant was issued in Elyria Municipal Court for Sullivan’s arrest on July 10, but he was in custody in Cuyahoga County for the weapons charge stemming from the Brooklyn traffic stop. The case was finally resolved Wednesday when Sullivan pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 12 months in prison.
Cuyahoga County Judge Carolyn Friedland ordered Sullivan to be transported to Lorain County to face the pending aggravated murder charge. He was booked into Lorain County Jail Thursday morning.
During the arraignment in Elyria on Friday, Bennett said Sullivan could face the death penalty or life in prison if found guilty of the aggravated murder charge.
Last month, during Arnoff’s arraignment, the prosecutor said the murder of Fisher was caught on video. On Friday, the prosecutor said Sullivan was believed to have pulled the trigger.
Bennett set Sullivan’s bond at $2.5 million. Arnoff and Gall are each being held on $2 million bond in Lorain County Jail.
A preliminary hearing for Sullivan’s case is scheduled for Monday before Bennett.
Related Stories:
- New evidence revealed in Elyria killing-for-hire case
- Bruce Arnoff seeks plea change in murder-for-hire plot
- 6. Elyria homicide revealed to be murder-for-hire plot
- 'This is undoubtedly the worst form of this offense': Bruce Arnoff, John Sullivan plead guilty in Willie Fisher homicide (UPDATED)
- A day before his murder conviction, Patrick Gall caught with weapon in jail
- Patrick Gall found guilty, sentenced to life in prison in murder for hire case
- Murderer accused of trying to smuggle drugs into prison
- Brooklyn officer recalls traffic stop during trial on alleged murder-for-hire
- Witness testifies he saw suspect, victim walking together before homicide
- Trial begins for East Cleveland man accused of murder for hire
- Jury chosen for suspect in murder-for-hire plot
- Jury should get murder-for-hire case Monday
- Third man in Elyria murder-for-hire plot has court date this morning
- 2 bound over to grand jury in murder-for-hire plot
- Elyria homicide suspect arraigned in municipal court (VIDEO)
- Read how Elyria police determined they were looking for the wrong man in convenient store homicide (UPDATED)
- Suspect sought in Elyria homicide; two already in custody (UPDATED)
- Gall arraigned in Elyria homicide; bail set at $2 million (UPDATED)