19-year-old sentenced to death in Kent State student slaying

November 17, 2016 at 8:46 a.m.

Daveion Perry, left, and defense attorney Charles Swanson, right, listen during a hearing where Perry was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole on Friday, Oct. 28, 2016, at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center in Cleveland. Perry was sentenced just two weeks after shooting Sunny Ravi Patel to death as Sunny helped his family at a Mr. Hero shop in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and just two days after pleading guilty Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016, to aggravated murder and other charges in a plea deal to avoid a death sentence.
Daveion Perry, left, and defense attorney Charles Swanson, right, listen during a hearing where Perry was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole on Friday, Oct. 28, 2016, at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center in Cleveland. Perry was sentenced just two weeks after shooting Sunny Ravi Patel to death as Sunny helped his family at a Mr. Hero shop in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and just two days after pleading guilty Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016, to aggravated murder and other charges in a plea deal to avoid a death sentence.

RAVENNA, Ohio — A 19-year-old Ohio man has been sentenced to death for fatally shooting a Kent State University student during an off-campus home invasion.

Damantae Graham, of Akron, was one of three teens charged in the Feb. 7 murder of 18-year-old Nick Massa. A Portage County judge sentenced Graham to death on Tuesday after considering mitigating factors including his age, neglectful parents and an unstable home life.

Messages were left Thursday for Graham's attorneys.

Police say Graham and two 17-year-old co-defendants broke into an apartment near Kent State's campus and demanded money. Graham shot and killed Massa before the three fled.

Graham was convicted on charges of aggravated murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and kidnapping on Nov. 8.

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