Woman kills man met on dating app

CLEVELAND, Ohio — A Cleveland woman will spend at least 25 years in prison after she killed a 27-year-old man in a robbery scheme that involved the dating app Plenty of Fish.

Shakira Graham, 25, was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with a chance at parole after 25 years. A jury on Feb. 28 found her guilty of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and several other felony charges in the death of Meshach Cornwall.

Graham, a pastor’s daughter and mother of two young children, said in a brief statement during Tuesday’s hearing that she maintains her innocence. Defense attorney Rufus Sims said they plan appeal the verdict.

“I want to give condolences to the Meshach’s family,” Graham said. “I didn’t go to trial to get away with murder, I went to trail to fight for my innocence, and I will continue to fight for my innocence.”

Cornwall’s mother Jacquelyn Harrington said in a tearful statement that Cornwall was a loving son and friend who loved his job working for a car rental company.

“He never forgot a birthday, a Christmas, a Mother’s Day,” Harrington said. “My life is filled with sorrow and pain and everlasting yearning for what I can never get back.”

Graham met Cornwall on the dating app on Dec. 15, 2018. Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Brian Radigan said during the hearing that Graham “conned” Cornwall into believing they had a relationship. Radigan said she set Cornwall up so she could rob him.

Harrington, returning from a trip, found him dead of multiple gunshot wounds at the bottom of her basement stairs.

Graham stole several guns, a TV and a 2009 Honda Accord after the shooting, according to prosecutors. U.S. Marshals arrested her Feb. 13, 2019 in Shaker Heights.

“This was a nonsense, clueless crime that happened for no reason,” Radigan said. “The irony is, if she wanted the stuff that she stole, he would have just given it to her. That’s the kind of person he was.”

Graham’s father Curnell Graham, a pastor for the last 34 years, said he believes someone else killed Cornwall.

“I pray for her and I pray for [the Cornwall family], and I pray that the person who committed this act is found,” Curnell Graham said.

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