A Painesville mother and her teenage son have been handed significant prison terms this week after a Willoughby shooting left a Euclid man dead last fall. The cases, which investigators say ultimately involved six people, have already produced one guilty plea, a jury conviction and several pending indictments, closing one chapter of the probe while other defendants keep cycling through the courts.
Prosecutors say 48-year-old Carla Farona pleaded guilty on Feb. 23 to tampering with evidence and was sentenced to three years in prison. Her 16-year-old son, Christopher Farona, went to trial instead and was convicted by a jury on March 6 of charges that included complicity to murder and aggravated robbery. He was ordered to serve 21 years in prison, according to Cleveland 19. Judges handled the two cases separately, with the mother accepting a plea agreement and the teen facing a full jury trial.
The shooting and investigation
Willoughby police were called just before 4 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2025, to the 1300 block of Fox Run Drive after reports of gunfire. Officers found 20-year-old Damonte Perry suffering from gunshot wounds, and he was airlifted to University Hospitals, where he died three days later, according to News5 Cleveland.
Early local coverage, including a report titled Suspect in Custody, followed the first arrests at the scene and highlighted police calls for witnesses as investigators tried to piece together what happened.
Other suspects and next steps
Authorities say several other people were swept up in the case, including 22-year-old Vance Triplett, 18-year-old Antoine Graves and 20-year-old Shamar Steele. Steele pleaded guilty in December 2025 to receiving stolen property and improperly handling a firearm and was placed on community control. Graves has rejected a plea offer and is awaiting new court dates, according to Cleveland 19. Triplett is facing a multi-count indictment and remains in jail without bond while he awaits trial.
How Ohio's juvenile rules apply
Because Christopher Farona was 16 at the time of the shooting, prosecutors pursued adult charges. Ohio law allows juvenile cases involving serious felonies to be transferred or prosecuted in adult court, and it permits juveniles to be held in adult facilities in certain situations. Judges are directed to weigh factors such as age, maturity and any potential safety risks when deciding where a case should be tried and where a youth should be held, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
Community reaction and what remains
Neighbors told reporters the shooting shook the small apartment complex and left residents uneasy, according to local coverage. With Carla and Christopher Farona now sentenced, prosecutors say several related cases are still active, and more hearings and potential trials are on the horizon as investigators continue working through evidence and witness lists.
Investigators say they are still pursuing remaining leads, and some defendants remain in custody while new court dates are set. Anyone with additional information has been asked to contact Willoughby police at 440-953-4210, according to Spectrum News. The victim's family has not issued a public statement through local media while the court proceedings continue.
