An appeals court upholds the murder verdict of an Ohio man sentenced to life in prison

ATHENS, Ohio – The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of Justin Anthony Pennington, 37, of Guysville, Ohio, who is serving a sentence of 27 years and 11 months to life in prison for a series of brutal crimes, including the murder of Blaine Sharpe in 2021.

Pennington was convicted by a jury of murder, manslaughter, two counts of criminal assault and burglary. In addition, the court found that he had violated the terms of his probation resulting from previous convictions for receiving stolen property and identity fraud, which led to the reinstatement of his previously suspended prison sentence.

The crimes occurred on June 13, 2021, when Pennington attacked Sharpe at his Lodi Township home, causing fatal injuries. According to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Pennington later told Sharpe’s daughter that he “just beat the crap out of her dad” and warned her to check on him. Sharpe was found unconscious on the porch, and paramedics reported serious injuries that led to his death at a local hospital.

Shortly after Sharpe’s death, Pennington attacked another victim, Heather Irwin, on Fossil Rock Road with an aluminum baseball bat. This second robbery further aggravated the charges that ultimately led to Pennington being sentenced to life in prison.

The case was investigated by the Athens County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by the Athens County Attorney’s Office, which praised the appeals court’s decision to uphold the jury verdict.