Executive Summary
- Derrek Dove, 20, indicted for aggravated murder by Cuyahoga County Grand Jury.
- Victim Antoine Latham was a Lyft driver shot in the head on Feb. 8 in Cleveland.
- Prosecutors allege the shooting occurred during an attempted robbery of a cell phone.
- Defendant is currently held without bond following arraignment.
A Cuyahoga County Grand Jury has returned an indictment charging a 20-year-old Garfield Heights man with aggravated murder following the fatal shooting of a rideshare driver in Cleveland earlier this month. The indictment, announced Thursday, formally escalates the legal proceedings against Derrek Dove regarding the death of Antoine Latham.
According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, the incident occurred on February 8 near East 103rd Street and Rosehill Avenue. First responders initially arrived at the scene believing they were responding to a vehicular collision. However, upon investigation, they discovered Latham, who was working as a Lyft driver at the time, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Court filings cited by prosecutors allege that the shooting took place during an attempted robbery. Authorities state that Dove attempted to rob the victim of his cell phone before the lethal encounter. Following the investigation, Cleveland Police arrested Dove, who was subsequently arraigned in Cleveland Municipal Court. A judge ordered him held without bond after prosecutors argued for strict detention measures due to the nature of the crime.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley issued a statement condemning the violence. “This was a cold and deliberate act of murder. Antoine Latham was killed while simply trying to earn a living,” O’Malley stated, affirming that his office intends to hold the defendant accountable. It is important to note that an indictment is a formal accusation, and all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Judicial Proceedings
The issuance of this indictment by the Grand Jury transfers the case to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas for felony adjudication. Given the charge of aggravated murder linked to an aggravated robbery, the case carries the potential for the highest level of sentencing under Ohio law. The prosecution’s strategy, emphasizing the vulnerability of the victim as a gig economy worker, indicates a rigorous approach to the upcoming pretrial phases.
