Two Cleveland Heights women are set to learn their punishment Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2026, in connection with the death of 74-year-old Edith Moore, who was shot inside her home during an early-morning break-in. The case has generated indictments, guilty pleas and a pending juvenile prosecution, keeping it active on the Cuyahoga County court docket for more than a year.
According to FOX8 Cleveland, Mariah Graves has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and obstruction, while Legacy Simmons has pleaded guilty to obstruction. Both are expected to appear at the county courthouse for sentencing Wednesday, where prosecutors and defense attorneys will make their final pitches to the judge.
Police were called around 3 a.m. on Jan. 4, 2025, to the 3500 block of Randolph Road. First responders found Moore with a gunshot wound to the head and an 18-year-old man from the home shot in the leg. Moore was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say Moore appears to have been caught in the crosshairs of an attempted robbery, according to WOIO/Cleveland 19.
Legal timeline and charges
A Cuyahoga County grand jury returned an indictment on Jan. 28, 2025, charging Amin Walker Jr., Mariah Graves and Legacy Simmons, and a 16-year-old was also charged in juvenile court. Prosecutors accused Walker of multiple counts that include aggravated murder. Graves was charged with murder, robbery and related felonies, while Simmons faced tampering and obstruction counts, as detailed by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. In the office’s release, Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley criticized Walker’s prior record, saying, “This isn’t this punk’s first go-around.”
Sentencing and what’s next
Sentencing for Graves and Simmons is scheduled for Wednesday at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center. A judge will hear victim-impact statements and sentencing recommendations from both sides, per FOX8 Cleveland. Other defendants remain under indictment, and the state has filed a mandatory bindover motion seeking to transfer the juvenile’s case to adult court. Those matters will move forward separately in county court.
What the pleas mean
Graves’s guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter means she has admitted to conduct that prosecutors say resulted in Moore’s death. Involuntary manslaughter is a felony under Ohio law (Ohio Revised Code, chapter 2903). Obstructing official business and tampering with evidence carry separate classifications and potential penalties that depend on the conduct involved (Ohio Revised Code, chapter 2921). Any sentence will be imposed under state sentencing rules after the court reviews prosecutors’ recommendations, defense arguments and the terms of any plea agreements.
