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Defendant’s girlfriend in Rowan murder gets probation

YOUNGSTOWN — Odyessie Butler-Reed, 23, one of the people indicted in 2021 in the Sept. 21, 2020, shooting death of 4-year-old Rowan Sweeney at a home in Struthers, pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence Wednesday and was sentenced to two years of probation.

Butler-Reed deleted social-media posts written by her boyfriend, Brandon Crump Jr., prosecutors said. Judge Anthony D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court presided over her plea and sentencing hearing and all of the cases involving the boy’s murder and the shootings of four adults in the home.

Butler-Reed’s plea and sentencing followed the May 7 sentencing of co-defendant Kimonie Bryant’s mother, LaShawn A. Scott, 46, to two years of probation after she also pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence.

Scott’s crime was destroying Bryant’s cellphone after the killing.

Bryant’s sentencing is postponed as a result of prosecutors notifying Judge D’Apolito in April that because Bryant lied about some facts in the case when he reached a plea agreement, they want to be able to recommend a longer prison sentence for Bryant, 27. He has no sentencing date set, according to court records.

Bryant was initially thought to be the shooter, but authorities later concluded that Bryant drove the car that brought him and Crump to the scene to commit a robbery but Crump was the person who entered the home, shot all five people inside and took cash.

Crump, 21, went on trial on 16 charges, including aggravated murder and attempted murder and is set for sentencing June 26.

The other defendant, Andre McCoy Jr., 24, who was one of the four adults who was shot, was found to have been texting with Bryant leading prior to a man bursting through the front door and shooting everyone.

McCoy’s sentencing is set for July 10.

Have an interesting story? Contact Ed Runyan by email at erunyan@vindy.com. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @TribToday.

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