EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — Two men and two women pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon to murder charges in connection with the death of Alishah Pointer.
The body of the 22-year-old North Randall woman was discovered in the basement of a burned-out home on Savannah Avenue in East Cleveland last Tuesday, four days after Pointer's twin sister reported her missing.
Monday in East Cleveland Municipal Court, Nathaniel Poke Jr., Portria Williams, Brittany Smith and Anthony Bryant were each arraigned on one count of murder.
Judge William Dawson set bail at $2 million apiece for the suspects.
Police have not said what role each suspect played in Pointer's kidnapping, torture and murder.
Investigators said her attackers believed she had information connected to an unrelated deadly shooting in Cleveland days earlier.
Police are unsure whether or not Pointer knew anything about the crime, but we are learning more about some of those charged with her murder.
Court records show 30-year-old Williams was free on bond at the time Pointer was killed. Williams had been set to stand trial Monday on unrelated felonious assault charges in a case involving a gun.
On Monday, Williams was indicted on two counts of aggravated murder, kidnapping and having a weapon while under disability in connection with Pointer's disappearance and death.
In court, a defense attorney told the judge Bryant is an 18-year-old high school senior who had been preparing to graduate.
Now, he's one of two teens charged in the murder.
A 17-year-old girl faces aggravated murder, kidnapping and other charges in juvenile court. Records show her criminal history began when she was 14-years-old.
