Plea deal off the table for suspect charged in connection with murder of Euclid man in Willoughby

PAINESVILLE, Ohio (WOIO) - The plea deal is now off the table for one of five suspects charged in connection with the murder of a Euclid man in Willoughby.

Antoine Graves, 18, of Willoughby, appeared in Lake County Court of Common Pleas Tuesday and did not accept the offered deal.

His family is also getting a new attorney, so there is no next court date for him.

Graves was indicted on a total of 10 counts:

• Two counts of complicity to aggravated murder
• Two counts of complicity to murder
• Thee counts of complicity to aggravated robbery
• Two counts of complicity to felonious assault
• One count of tampering with evidence

Damonte Perry, 20, was fatally shot on Sept. 15, 2025 in the 1300 block of Fox Run Dr.

Perry died from his injuries on Sept. 18, 2025 at University Hospitals.

Graves, Shamar Steele, Vance Triplett, and two juveniles were charged in connection with the crime. One of the juveniles is the suspected gunman, according to police.

Steele, 20, of Cleveland Heights, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to to one count of receiving stolen property and one count of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.

In January, Steele was sentenced to five years of community control, with the first 180 days served in jail. Steele had 120 days of credit, so he will serve 60 days in jail.

If Steele violates his community control, he will get three years in prison.

Triplett, 22, of Willoughby, was indicted on a total of 15 counts:

• Two counts complicity to aggravated murder
• Two counts complicity to murder
• Three counts complicity to aggravated robbery
• Two counts of complicity to felonious assault
• One count of tampering with evidence
• Two counts of obstruction of justice
• One count of improperly furnishing firearms to a minor
• One count of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle
• One count of carrying a concealed weapon

Triplett’s trial is scheduled for March 24.