Chad Stephens Sentenced to Life for Murder of Falls Man

, 22, of Akron, was sentenced to life in prison with a chance of parole in 23 years for his involvement in the aggravated robbery and murder of Falls resident Kim Slayko II.

The judgment came as Stephens stood before Summit County Common Pleas Court Mary Margaret Rowlands on Wednesday morning.

Stephens received 15 years to life for complicity to commit murder and eight years to life for complicity to commit aggravated robbery.

The charges stem from two different incidents, reports the Akron Beacon Journal.

The first occurred on Aug. 23, 2011 when Stephens set up a meeting to sell painkillers to a man at an Akron gas station. The drug deal went bad when Stephens sent an accomplice who robbed the man of several hundred dollars.

A week later, Stephens set up a similar deal with Slayko, 33, a Ravenna native and U.S. Army veteran. When Slayko arrived to the 900 block of Baughman Street on Aug. 31, he was robbed and shot in the abdomen.

He died later that night at Akron General Medical Center.

"Kim was my oldest son and my best friend," stated Vicki Slayko, Kim's mother, in a Patch article detailing Stephens' guilty verdict. "He did everything for me. Two families have been ruined because of something stupid. I pray for Chad's family, but at least (Chad's mother) can see her son, I can't."

Stephens was found last September in the 3200 block of West Market Street in Fairlawn. Akron police, the U.S. Marshals Office Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force and assisted in the arrest.