A six-year wait for answers in a Columbus killing finally broke on March 2, 2026, when a local man admitted to his role in the 2020 shooting that left 20-year-old Jacob Todd dead. German Sanchez, who was 16 at the time of the shooting and is now 21, pleaded guilty to charges tied to the February 18, 2020 killing, according to family members. The plea caps a long-running case that shuffled between juvenile and adult courts as dates slipped and hearings were pushed back, even as Jacob’s parents kept pressing for movement.
In Franklin County Common Pleas Court, Sanchez pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault and having weapons under disability, clearing the way for a sentencing hearing, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Prosecutors say the charges stem from shots fired on February 18, 2020 that killed Todd; court records show Sanchez was booked shortly after the slaying as a juvenile.
Jacob’s parents, Angela and Mike Granger, have described the plea as an overdue step after more than 2,200 days of waiting for the case to move. They had been vocal about what they saw as a system moving too slowly, with Mike Granger telling Yahoo News in earlier reporting on the Franklin County court backlog, “The defendants have a right to a speedy trial, so should the victims.”
How the case moved through the system
Authorities first charged Sanchez in juvenile court after his arrest. Prosecutors later brought the case into adult court so it could be heard in Common Pleas, a transfer that added time to the process. Routine motions, evaluations and scheduling conflicts on an already crowded court calendar stretched the case across years, as local officials have acknowledged that backlogs have led to long waits for both victims and defendants.
Legal next steps
With the guilty plea now entered, the case shifts to sentencing, where a judge will determine Sanchez’s punishment under Ohio law. The plea removes the need for a jury trial and lets prosecutors resolve the charges without adding years more of litigation.
Defense and prosecution will return to court on a sentencing date set by the judge. For the Granger family, the plea closes one chapter while they wait to see what sentence is imposed. Local reporters are expected to track court filings for the final sentencing date and any additional statements from the family or attorneys.
