Akron Teen Receives Second Life Sentence for Multiple Murders

Darrin Welch, a 19-year-old from Akron, has been sentenced to consecutive life terms for the murders of two teenagers, Antenio Louis and Marvin Rocker. Welch received his second life sentence after pleading guilty to the murder of 18-year-old Rocker, who was shot in March 2023. His first life sentence was handed down for the murder of Louis, a senior on the Akron East football team, who was killed in August 2023. Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich emphasized the impact of gun violence in the community and thanked law enforcement for their efforts in securing justice. In a separate case, Samantha Stevens, 24, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for the reckless homicide of her boyfriend, Eric Washington, after a history of domestic abuse led to the fatal shooting. Stevens faced initial murder charges, but a jury could not reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a plea agreement for lesser charges.