MEDINA COUNTY, Ohio — A Uniontown man who pleaded guilty in connection with the killing of 27-year-old Iron Cannon, who went missing in October of 2020 and whose remains were believed to have been found in a lake, has agreed to a sentence of three decades in prison.
Justin D. Hornbeck, of Uniontown, pled guilty on Oct. 4 to six felony counts: involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, having weapons while under disability, obstructing justice, gross abuse of a corpse, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
On Monday, Assistant Medina County Prosecutor Michael P. McNamara told the court a plea deal was reached with the state to reduce the charge of murder to involuntary manslaughter in exchange for Hornbeck’s plea and his information that led to the recovery of Cannon’s body.
During sentencing, Hornbeck agreed to the sentence of 30 to 35.5 years in prison. He will be subject to two to five years of post-release community control sanctions.
Judge Christopher J. Collier said during the sentencing, “Life is so important and so valuable that the loss of that creates such a hole in this family."
Cannon, 27, went missing on Oct. 18, 2020. His sister, Teala Elkins, said her brother left their home on Grant Street and went to a club but never came home. He told his nephew that he was on his way home but never made it.
What had started out as a missing person case later turned into a recovery case for Cannon’s body. Throughout the investigation, detectives learned there was an intricate cover-up, which consisted of significant efforts to mislead law enforcement, police said in a news release.
Remains believed to be of Cannon's were found in a Mahoning County lake in September.
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