Cleveland, OH
Ohio Is Now the ‘Focus’
In this edition of News Inside, we’re excited to share meaningful journalism that speaks to you.
Recognizing our work has broad statewide impact, our special section called Cleveland Focus, which we introduced in our last issue, is now Ohio Focus. It’s a move that better reflects our expanding reach and engagement efforts across the Buckeye State.
In this section, we share stories produced by our team at The Marshall Project – Cleveland. These are stories that directly impact people and families caught up in the criminal justice system in Ohio.
April marks Second Chance Month. It’s a time to raise awareness about the challenges faced by those of us who have been incarcerated. It’s also a time to celebrate victories in the ongoing struggle for formerly incarcerated people.
This month, Ohio Focus looks at two major issues: how the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court appoints public defenders or private attorneys to represent children accused of crimes, and the lack of support in place for people leaving the Cuyahoga County Jail.
After meeting with the local community and having been incarcerated myself, I know many people have been through this process, or those with children, grandchildren, and other family and friends who have experienced juvenile prosecution.
We hope that by detailing how our courts work, we can bring clarity to how children are represented in our county court system, using facts and data-driven reporting by our Marshall Project – Cleveland reporters.
During my years behind bars in Ohio, as I worked toward earning my parole, my thoughts were consumed by my reentry plan and concerns about the type of support I would receive upon returning to society.
One of my biggest fears was that the guidance I expected wouldn’t be there. That fear is real for folks leaving Cuyahoga County Jail. Our reporting at The Marshall Project – Cleveland has uncovered alarming accounts of the county’s failure to support individuals as they leave jail and the promises made to fix the problem.
We hope this becomes an ongoing conversation. We want to hear your concerns, opinions, or questions about prison. We also want to hear your stories, your past experiences, or your hopes for reconnecting with your family after regaining your freedom.
Readers in Ohio can email me at cleveland@themarshallproject.org.
We hope these stories inspire and empower you as you prepare to live the life you desire.
Want your loved one(s) to receive free future copies of News Inside? Fill out our registration form for individuals. For corrections staff or community members seeking bulk shipments of News Inside, please email your request to newsinside@themarshallproject.org.
Cleveland, OH
Lakewood woman dies after being thrown from ATV; police seek persons of interest
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Cleveland police say a 23-year-old woman died in May after being thrown from an ATV, and officers need your help tracking down persons of interest.
The horrific incident took place on May 17 during a street takeover in the area of East 100th Street and Buckeye Avenue in the Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood.
Officers say Yarianalie Garcia, from Lakewood, fell from the ATV when the operator performed a wheelie.
According to police, the operator stopped for a short time but did not help Garcia and left.
She later died at a local hospital.
Councilman calls for accountability
Cleveland City Councilman Blaine Griffin, who represents the Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood, said gatherings involving dirt bikes and ATVs have grown dangerously out of control in Northeast Ohio.
“Even though this is a result of reckless behavior, somebody lost a life — and we lost a dear, cherished person of the city of Cleveland,” Griffin said.
Griffin said the events can escalate quickly.
“These things often might sound like they start off as innocent, a fun Sunday Funday, but then they turn into tragedy, like the loss of this life,” he said.
Griffin also directed a message to anyone who was present that day.
“First and foremost, I hope that the person who was driving the vehicle actually has a conscience and turns themselves in — because the family is going to want justice,” Griffin said.
Now, Cleveland police have released several photos in a push to identify the ATV operator and a second witness on a white dirt bike.
Anyone with information is asked to call 216-623-5295.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Cleveland’s First Round woes must end with the 2026 class
Two of the keys for Cleveland’s near and long-term future are how both of their first-round picks perform in their rookie seasons. Both Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion are under a lot of pressure to show that they have what it takes to be long-term pieces in this league.
It is going to be a challenge for both of them, as the Browns offense is very young throughout and will also have a major question mark at the quarterback position. With all of the aside, the Browns have had a very rough go at it with their first-round picks in the last 20 years.
We are examining the careers of the last 10 to see which ones were worth the selection and which ones were a bust. Spoiler alert, it’s heavily weighted to the latter.
Cleveland’s last eleven first-round picks are a roller coaster of results, which is the reason they have been perpetually stuck in a rebuild.
2015 Round 1 Pick 12: DT Danny Shelton
Cleveland went with the defensive line to start the 2015 draft and took one of the biggest busts of that first round. Shelton had potential but never grew into it. It is always a risk going DL in the first round because if the result isn’t a home run, it is likely a failure.
2015 Round 1 Pick 19: OT Cameron Erving
DL and OL were within just a few picks away from each other with the intent of bolstering their lines of scrimmage, it didn’t work. Erving spent only two seasons in Cleveland before being traded to Kansas City in 2017.
2016 Round 1 Pick 15: WR Corey Coleman
This was one pick that I personally got excited about when it happened, and then that was the best part of the Corey Coleman tenure. He never materialized as a player in the NFL and was one of the biggest busts from the 2016 draft.
2017 Round 1 Pick 1: DE Myles Garrett
The moment that Myles Garrett hits five years after retirement, he will walk right through the doors in Canton, Ohio. The only hope is that his career comes back to Cleveland before it ends.
2017 Round 1 Pick 25: S Jabrill Peppers
Peppers brought an attitude and a swagger to the back end of the Browns’ defense. He ended up being an average Cleveland Brown because, in my opinion, he was massively misused in his time in Cleveland.
2017 Round 1 Pick 29: TE David Njoku
Many Browns fans were hoping Njoku would retire as a Cleveland Brown, but it wasn’t in the cards. It was nine seasons of good to very good for Njoku. He, like many, suffered from horrible QB play throughout his career, and it cost him the prime of his career.
2018 Round 1 Pick 1: QB Baker Mayfield
It was always so close with Baker. He had the right attitude to turn the Cleveland franchise around, but he could never get out of his own way. Turnovers, immaturity, and a string of bad coaching cost him what could have been an incredibly special career.
2018 Round 1 Pick 4: CD Denzel Ward
Ward has been a slam dunk pick from his literal first game. In that opening game, Ward intercepted Ben Roethlisberger twice and began what has been an amazing career in Cleveland. His time here is coming to a close, but he was everything and more than what the Browns could have asked for.
2019 Round 1 Pick 17: Traded to New York for Odell Beckham Jr.
2020 Round 1 Pick 10: OT Jedrick Wills Jr.
This one hurts because Andrew Berry selected Wills three spots ahead of Tristan Wirfs, who is on his way to what could be a Hall-of-Fame career.
2021 Round 1 Pick 26: CB Greg Newsome III
Newsome loved playing for the Cleveland Browns more than anything. His game never matched his infinite love for the city, as he just lacked some of the required skills to be a lockdown DB. No one will ever forget his pick six against Baltimore to come back on the Ravens.
2022 Round 1 Pick 13: Traded to Houston for Deshaun Watson
2023 Round 1 Pick 12: Traded to Houston for Deshaun Watson
2024 Round 1 Pick 23: Traded to Houston for Deshaun Watson
2025 Round 1 Pick 5: DT Mason Graham
Graham played very well in his first year in Cleveland, but again, it is a major risk to take a DT in the first round, let alone the top 5. He has to be a home run hit, or else there will be a lot of questions.
The first round has been quite the roller coaster for the Browns over the past 15 years. It is no surprise to Browns fans, but reliving the ups and downs is always a good thought experiment about what could have been if Cleveland had made the right picks consistently.
The hope now is that their most recent picks, Fano and Concepcion, prove that they fall into that category and will be in Cleveland for a very long time.
Cleveland, OH
Wanted sex offender arrested at the same Cleveland home where missing Tennessee mother found dead
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – U.S. Marshals say a wanted sex offender was arrested early Friday morning at the same home where a missing Tennessee mother was found dead on July 3.
Matthew Hensley, 43, was wanted by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department for failing to register his address after a conviction of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
“Today along with Cleveland Police SWAT, Deputy Sheriffs from Cuyahoga County and my Deputy Marshals, we hit that house and we found Hensley in that house hiding in a bench area and a wall and a secret compartment that he had constructed,” said U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott
According to the U.S. Marshals, he had additional charges of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor from an indictment in 2022.
Law enforcement has been searching for Hensley for over two months, according to a release.
Hensley was featured on Cuyahoga’s Most Wanted on Thursday.
The task force said it received numerous tips about Hensley’s whereabouts all across the Cleveland area.
He was found hiding in a cabinet at a home located at 3490 Bosworth Road and taken into custody without incident.
On July 3, Amber Graham, 37, of Spring Hill, Tennessee, was found dead outside at the same address.
Police and fire personnel discovered her body covered in a sheet.
In the Cleveland police report connected to Graham’s death, Hensley is listed as a involved person.
Child found alone at fire station
Graham’s friend told 19 News she had brought her 8-year-old daughter with her on a trip to meet a man she had been communicating with through an online video game.
On July 1, the child walked into a Cleveland fire station alone.
Officials would not confirm the child’s relation to Graham but confirmed an 8-year-old did arrive at the fire station last week.
“They assessed her for any medical issues that she would have. She appeared uninjured, but she had a phone number in her pocket for her grandmother in Tennessee. It’s my understanding. But in that situation, we called police. They called Child Protective Services,” said Lt. Mike Norman of the Cleveland Fire Department.
A friend of the victim’s said the child was Graham’s.
Friends raise alarm
Joshua LaCroix, a friend of Graham’s who lives in Franklin, Tennessee, said Graham had told him and his wife she was planning the trip to Cleveland to meet a man she had connected with through a video game.
During the trip, Graham called LaCroix, saying he heard a man in the background who was angry with her.
“That was the last conversation that me and my wife had with her,” LaCroix said.
When Graham stopped responding, friends and family grew concerned.
“She never misses a shift. No one can reach her. Last thing we know, she was in Cleveland. So like, something’s not right. She’s supposed to be here at work and she’s not,” LaCroix said.
Graham’s family reported her missing to authorities on July 2.
Facebook group helps locate home
LaCroix said he reached out to a Cleveland Facebook page for help tracking down Graham. Members of the group identified a home they believed she may have visited.
“The police were able to get to the house and, you know, discover what they discovered,” LaCroix said.
LaCroix described Graham as someone who cared for others.
“She’s just a genuine person. And she’s a good person. She’s the kind of person who will care for you without much reason to do so,” he said.
Investigation ongoing
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner is investigating Graham’s cause of death. No arrests or charges have been made.
Cleveland police said they are awaiting the medical examiner’s ruling before potentially opening a criminal investigation.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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