In a case that has gripped the local community, Jonathan Pigram, 38, has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2023 double murder outside a northeast Columbus bar, according to reports from NBC4i and other outlets. The Franklin County judge's ruling comes after Pigram pled guilty in October to the murder of two individuals he did not know -- 41-year-old Cornet Powell and Dawn Dunn.
During the early morning of March 1, 2023, gunfire erupted at Cheers Too on Cleveland Avenue. Found with a firearm, hiding behind another vehicle in the parking lot by police, Pigram had just been released from prison for a probation violation the previous week, The Columbus Dispatch detailed. As part of the plea agreement, he will not be eligible for parole for at least 52 years, effectively ensuring a life sentence behind bars.
While the motives remain unclear, authorities confirmed that Pigram, armed and equipped with an ankle monitor at the time, acted without prior knowledge of the victims. The sentencing includes charges for two counts of attempted murder and highlights Pigram's prior felony convictions—a sobering reminder of the consequences of a life mired in criminality. Emotions ran high in the courtroom as victims' families confronted their irrevocable loss, with a member expressing, "Our lives have been forever changed. I am so absolutely appalled by this case," as ABC6 reported.
Tragedy struck, underscored by its preventability, as Eve Dunn, sister of the deceased Dawn Dunn, lamented the judiciary system's shortcomings, saying, "The system has failed, and as my sister said in court, the judge is responsible." While coming to grips with the harsh reality that no legal outcome can truly mend the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence, the families of the victims find solace in knowing that the perpetrator will not pose a further threat to society, told the Dunn family ABC6. Pigram's sentence is set to begin immediately, with the community still trying to heal from the scars of an event that has forever altered the fabric of their collective tranquility.
