A Hamilton County judge on Tuesday sentenced 19-year-old Ajani Grimes to 25 to 29 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in the June 7, 2025, killing of 47-year-old Laura Schueler. Schueler, a transgender woman, was found dead on a sidewalk off Jonathan Avenue in Cincinnati's Evanston neighborhood. The courtroom was packed with family members and friends during the hearing, and one longtime friend told Grimes, "I hope you rot in hell." The judge ruled that Grimes will receive credit for nearly a year he has already spent in custody.
Guilty Plea and Sentence
Under a plea agreement, Grimes admitted to involuntary manslaughter, discharge of a firearm, kidnapping, and a weapons charge, and the judge stacked those counts into a combined 25 to 29-year term, according to WKRC. Prosecutors said other counts were dropped as part of the deal, and the sentence also absorbed earlier robbery-related allegations Grimes had been facing. The plea skipped a trial entirely and sent the case straight to sentencing.
Evidence and Prior Charges
Prosecutors told the court that a bullet casing recovered from an October 2024 robbery was matched to casings found where Schueler was killed, a key connection that tied the two cases together during the hearing. That link and the fact that Grimes was out on bond at the time were reported by WLWT, while WCPO documented that Grimes had cut off an electronic ankle monitor in April 2025. Court records show he had been charged in the earlier robbery and related felonious assault allegations.
Family Reaction in Court
Relatives and friends described Schueler as a generous, outspoken presence who loved animals and spoke up for others in the LGBTQ community. Cousin Geno Griffith told the judge, "Laura will never be forgotten," while longtime friend Martez Meadows looked directly at Grimes and said, "I hope you rot in hell," as reported by WLWT. Family members said the sentence offers some sense of closure, even as it falls far short of filling the hole Schueler's death left behind.
Legal Note
As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed several original counts so that Grimes would plead to the listed offenses and proceed directly to sentencing, WKRC reports. The judge credited Grimes for nearly a year already spent in jail when calculating his prison term. Officials with the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office did not immediately return requests for additional comment.
What Comes Next
The case first drew wider attention when authorities arrested Grimes last summer, and a report titled Teen Charged With Murder in Trans Woman's Death detailed the initial arrest and $2 million bond. With sentencing now complete, Grimes is expected to be transferred into the state prison system to serve his term, while Schueler's family continues to press for answers about how pretrial monitoring and supervision were handled.
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