Ronnie Shelton | |
---|---|
![]() Shelton
c. 1989 | |
Born | [3] United States | October 1, 1961
Died | September 25, 2018[4] | (aged 56)
Criminal charge |
|
Penalty | 3,195 years [2] |
Ronald Shelton (October 1, 1961 – September 25, 2018), better known as The West Side Rapist, was an American convicted serial rapist. He was convicted of raping over 30 women in Cleveland, Ohio, over a 6-year period. [5] He may have raped up to 50 women. [6] Shelton was caught on video using an ATM with his victims' bank cards. [7]
He was the subject of the book Unfinished Murder: The Pursuit of a Serial Rapist by James Neff. [8]
Shelton's modus operandi was to break into victims' homes wearing something to obscure his face. [1] He would initially tell victims he was going to rob them, but then rape them. [1] He would insist victims not look at him and threaten them if they reported him to police. [1] His language and pattern of sexual assaults helped link his crimes. [6]
Timothy J. McGinty prosecuted the case in 1989. [9] He was found guilty of 220 charges, including 49 rapes of over 30 women in Cleveland, Ohio. [5] [1] Richard McMonagle sentenced him to between 1,554 and 3,195 years in prison. [4] He received the longest sentence in Ohio's history. [7] [1] [10]
On September 25, 2018, at 4.30pm Shelton, aged 56, jumped from the top of a prison building, suffering a skull fracture upon impact with the concrete below. He was pronounced dead at 8:15 pm at nearby MetroHealth Medical Center. Investigators did not immediately[ clarification needed] suspect foul play. [11]
Ronnie Shelton | |
---|---|
![]() Shelton
c. 1989 | |
Born | [3] United States | October 1, 1961
Died | September 25, 2018[4] | (aged 56)
Criminal charge |
|
Penalty | 3,195 years [2] |
Ronald Shelton (October 1, 1961 – September 25, 2018), better known as The West Side Rapist, was an American convicted serial rapist. He was convicted of raping over 30 women in Cleveland, Ohio, over a 6-year period. [5] He may have raped up to 50 women. [6] Shelton was caught on video using an ATM with his victims' bank cards. [7]
He was the subject of the book Unfinished Murder: The Pursuit of a Serial Rapist by James Neff. [8]
Shelton's modus operandi was to break into victims' homes wearing something to obscure his face. [1] He would initially tell victims he was going to rob them, but then rape them. [1] He would insist victims not look at him and threaten them if they reported him to police. [1] His language and pattern of sexual assaults helped link his crimes. [6]
Timothy J. McGinty prosecuted the case in 1989. [9] He was found guilty of 220 charges, including 49 rapes of over 30 women in Cleveland, Ohio. [5] [1] Richard McMonagle sentenced him to between 1,554 and 3,195 years in prison. [4] He received the longest sentence in Ohio's history. [7] [1] [10]
On September 25, 2018, at 4.30pm Shelton, aged 56, jumped from the top of a prison building, suffering a skull fracture upon impact with the concrete below. He was pronounced dead at 8:15 pm at nearby MetroHealth Medical Center. Investigators did not immediately[ clarification needed] suspect foul play. [11]