Third suspect in killing of Cuyahoga Falls man arrested, charged with murder

A man who allegedly shot and killed an Akron man in May in Cuyahoga Falls has been arrested and charged with murder, while two other men, including one arrested shortly after the shooting, are charged with obstructing justice.

First suspect arrested:Akron man arrested in double shooting that left Cuyahoga Falls man dead

Cuyahoga Falls police announced that the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force arrested Deair Johnson, 28, of Akron, on Friday for warrants in connection with the May shooting death of Giovanni Stanford at 1376 Forest Glen Drive in Cuyahoga Falls. He is charged with murder, an unclassified felony, and second-degree felony charges of felonious assault and discharging a firearm into a habitation. No hearing dates have been set as of Friday afternoon.

According to court records, Johnson allegedly fired 9 mm rounds into the residence, killing Stanford.

Stanford died shortly before midnight May 26 after police found him inside an apartment with multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and head. A woman in the apartment was shot in the leg and treated at an area hospital for her injuries, Cuyahoga Falls police said previously.

911 call of shooting released:911 recording released in Cuyahoga Falls double shooting that killed Akron man

Two other men have been charged in the case.

Akron resident Durell L. McDowell, 32, was arrested June 24 by Cuyahoga Falls and Akron police and the U.S. Marshals task force. Although initially charged with Stanford's murder, McDowell was later indicted on one count of obstructing justice, a third-degree felony, according to Summit County Common Pleas Court records. Court records do not indicate the nature of the obstruction.

Bond in his case was initially set at 10% of $500,000. It was reduced Aug. 9 to 10% of $10,000.

Felony obstructing justice charges against a third Akron man, Jameir McDowell, 32, who was arrested July 25, have been referred to a Summit County grand jury. According to the complaint in Stow Municipal Court, he "drove a shooting suspect from the scene," lied to investigators about his whereabouts on the night of the shooting and attempted to hide his 2011 Ford Fusion, "knowing it was a suspect vehicle in a homicide investigation."

Bond in his case was set at 10% of $25,000.

Cuyahoga Falls police said the case remains under investigation by detectives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and said there would be no further comment. If anyone has any information or tips regrading this crime, please contact the Cuyahoga Falls Police at 330-928-2181, Crime Stoppers at 330-434-2677, or the Cuyahoga Falls Tip Line 330- 971-8477.

Eric Marotta can be reached at 330-541-9433, or emarotta@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarottaEric.