Photo Courtesy of FBI
On November 15, four suspects were arraigned in connection with the slaughter of Alishah Pointer of East Cleveland, who was found in a burned-out home after being kidnapped, tortured, and shot to death.
According to WEWS, police reported that the suspects kidnapped two women and held one at gunpoint. The woman held at gunpoint was forced to drive to Pointer’s and lure her out. Pointer was later abducted from her home, tortured, and shot.
Her body was found on November 9 in a home in the 14500 block of Savannah in East Cleveland.
Police have reason to believe that Pointer’s attackers were trying to gauge information about a deadly shooting that took place in the city the week before.
However, Pointer’s twin sister Aalyiah said that her sister had no information about the incident.
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“I’m so angry that this happened to an innocent person and especially my best friend,” said Aalyiah. “She was good to people, and they did this to the wrong person.”
Clevland.com reported that Pointer was reportedly taken and tortured for information on her boyfriend’s whereabouts to avenge the death of Aminjas Shomo, who the attackers believed her boyfriend killed.
Police reportedly do not think Pointer was involved with that murder, and it’s yet to be determined if her boyfriend did either.
According to WOIO, Anthony Bryant, Brittany Smith, Portrait Williams, and Nathaniel Poke Jr., all were up for arraignment by an East Cleveland Municipal Court judge.
The four of them pleaded not guilty, and their initial appearances in county court are set for November 19.
Indya Pauldo and an unidentified 17-year-old girl are two other suspects who didn’t appear in court and were also arrested.
East Cleveland police are searching for Hakeem Ali Shomo, a suspect in connection to Pointer’s case.