More pictures from the crime scene
 Ken Robinson on the scene as the 8th body was removed 11/3
 Listen to Chief Michael McGrath's 11/3 news conference
 Watch video from the 11/3 news conference

(Cleveland) - Anthony Sowell was charged Tuesday afternoon and arraigned Wednesday on five counts of aggravated murder.  Sowell was also charged on Rape, Felonious Assault and Kidnapping warrants.

The charges comes after Police Chief Michael McGrath says four more bodies were found Tuesday the backyard of Sowell's home at 12205 Imperial Ave., near Kinsman Road on Cleveland's east side. A skull was found in a bucket in the basement.


Police Chief Michael McGrath

Cuyahoga County Coroner Dr. Frank Miller says the body count is at 11.

A backhoe was at the home Tuesday and coroner's vans were brought to the scene.  McGrath says they will also start looking inside the home's walls.

Lieutenant Stacho says they're tracking Sowell’s residential history since his June, 2005, prison release to learn if, perhaps, there are additional victims. They will also look at unsolved homicides with similar MO’s to determine whether or not they can be tied to the victims found in Sowell's home on Imperial

Cuyahoga County Coroner Frank Miller's office confirmed Monday that the first six victims were African-American women and at least five were strangled. It's those five that apparently lead to the aggravated murder charges.


Lt. Thomas Stacho, Cleveland Police

Stacho says Sowell lured the women into his home with offers of beer. Those that didn't enter were assaulted and dragged into the house. Sowell spent 15 years in prison for rape, and was released in 2005.

Every day from 7 am to 7 pm, citizens can go to the 4th District Police Headquarters located at 9333 Kinsman Avenue, where a detective will be on scene to interview citizens about missing persons believed to be tied to the Anthony Sowell investigation. Citizens are encouraged to bring a photo and any biographical information.


Police Chief Michael McGrath & Mayor Frank Jackson

Police report Anthony Sowell was picked up near the 4th district police station Saturday, not far from the scene of the crimes. The convicted sex offender was the subject of a massive manhunt after two decomposed bodies were found in the third floor of his home.

Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath says Sowell was arrested thanks to a citizen who spotted the suspected serial killer walking along Manor Avenue. A police cruiser rushed to the area, but found Sowell strolling along Mount Auburn Avenue nearby. McGrath reveals Sowell was arrested without incident, and admitted to being the man everyone was looking for.

There was a $12,000 reward available. McGrath says the tipster wishes to remain anonymous. Mayor Frank Jackson and Safety Director Martin Flask credit hard work by their officers, and tips from the public for the arrest.

Police were originally sent to the 50-year-old man's home last week to serve a warrant for felonious assault and rape.  Sowell was wanted in connection with an attack on a female that occurred in his home on September 26.



According to Cleveland Police, sex crimes detectives went to Sowell’s home Thursday evening with a search warrant looking for evidence in that attack. Upon searching the home, detectives found three bodies in an advanced state of decomposition on the third floor of the home and what appears to be a freshly dug grave in the basement.

Ken Robinson talked with neighbors of Sowell, one of whom says she gave him a ride home Thursday night, and during that ride, he confessed to her that he killed the two people whose bodies were found in the home. Before they got to his house, Sowell bailed out of the car and hasn't been seen since.


Kayana Hunt, and missing mother Nancy Cobbs.

People in the neighborhood are speculating as to whose bodies were in the house. Kayana Hunt is wondering if one of the bodies could be her mother Nancy Cobbs, who vanished from the neighborhood without a trace six month ago. 

Others are speculating one of the bodies could be Sowell’s sister. Neighbors also say the only outward sign that two bodies were in the house was a nasty smell a few months ago. At the time, people thought it was the smell of sewer gas.


Anthony Sowell

Sowell was known to walk the streets “scrapping” and frequented area scrap metal yards. 

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