The appeals court upholds the murder conviction for an Ohio man sentenced to life in prison

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

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

The crimes occurred on June 13, 2021, when Pennington attacked Sharpe at his Lodi Township home, leaving him with fatal injuries. According to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Pennington later told Sharpe’s daughter that he “just beat the pulp out of her daddy” and warned her to check on him. Sharpe was found unconscious on his porch, while 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 attack further contributed to the charges that ultimately resulted in Pennington’s life sentence.

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