'He was our king.' Akron man pleads guilty in fatal shooting over game of dice

CANTON – An Akron man will spend 23 to 28 1/2 years in prison for fatally shooting a Canton man over a game of dice.

Kolbi A. Ross, 25, pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge of manslaughter, a first-degree felony, and gun-related felonies for the 2020 shooting death of Corwin Spicer, 40, of Canton.

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"He was the oldest of eight, and you took away our king," Spicer's sister, Monica Upshaw, told Ross when given the chance to speak during Friday's hearing in Stark County Common Pleas Court.

Ross was originally indicted on aggravated murder and other charges for killing Spicer on Aug. 16, 2020. He reached a plea deal to avoid his scheduled trial.

Judge Natalie Haupt accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Ross to the agreed-upon term of 23 to 28 1/2 years. 

Ross was represented by defense attorneys Jacob Will and Noah Munyer with special prosecutor Dan Kasaris representing the state.

The Ohio Attorney General's Office provided a special prosecutor on the case due to a conflict of interest with the Stark County Prosecutor's Office. Stark County Prosecutor Kyle Stone had previously represented Ross while practicing as a private defense attorney for Ross' 2018 robbery case.

Ross was on supervised probation when he killed Spicer in the 200 block of Belden Avenue SE.

“Thank you to the Attorney General’s office for serving as the prosecution on this case. I am grateful that justice has been served for the victim and his family,” Stone said Friday afternoon.

"He took my brother away from us four days before his son's birthday so imagine telling a kid that his dad will never come home...we just want to know why...how could you do this? You walked up on him in broad daylight and took him from us," Upshaw asked.

Ross declined to address Spicer's family members in court. Attorneys Jacob Will and Noah Munyer released the following statement.

"Today, Mr. Ross accepted responsibility for his actions. The plea agreement he entered into provides him an opportunity to be released at a date certain in the future, and will give him an opportunity to live a meaningful and productive life," his attorneys said.

More:Man, 40, victim of fatal gunshot wound

What happened to Corwin Spicer?

Ross and Spicer had played a game of dice on Aug. 15, 2020; Ross lost and was upset, according to police records. 

The next day Ross, wearing body armor, returned to Spicer's home and fatally shot Spicer.

Ross fled and was arrested three days later by the US Marshals Service and the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at his partner's Plain Township apartment.

Reach Cassandra cnist@gannett.com; Follow on Twitter@Cassienist