Darius McGrew, 32, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault and was sentenced to 23 to 28.5 years after the fatal shooting of 12-year-old Nehemiah McMillon. Prosecutors say McGrew chased a stolen car, boxed it in and fired multiple rounds; a 13-year-old passenger survived with a gunshot wound to the arm. Forensic testing matched five 9 mm casings to the same weapon, and court records show McGrew was barred from possessing firearms because of a 2019 robbery conviction.
Winton Hills Man Sentenced To 23–28.5 Years After 12-Year-Old Killed Over Stolen Vehicle
Darius McGrew appears in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court for sentencing on Sept. 22, 2026.
A Winton Hills man has been ordered to serve more than two decades in prison after pleading guilty in the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old last year.
Case Overview
Darius McGrew, 32, who had been scheduled to stand trial on multiple counts including aggravated murder in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, pleaded guilty on Sept. 22 to involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault. Judge Chris Wagner immediately imposed a prison term of 23 to 28.5 years—the sentence recommended in the plea agreement accepted by both McGrew's attorneys and prosecutors.
Crime scene tape hangs on a fence in the 4800 block of Este Avenue on Monday, July 14, 2025. Police said 12-year-old Nehemiah McMillon was shot and killed on Sunday night.
The Shooting
Prosecutors say McGrew pursued a vehicle that had been stolen, boxed it in with another car and fired multiple rounds at juveniles inside. Twelve-year-old Nehemiah McMillon was struck in the chest and killed. A 13-year-old passenger was shot in the arm and survived.
Evidence and Legal Context
Investigators recovered four 9 mm shell casings at the scene and a fifth casing inside McGrew's vehicle. Forensic analysis by the Hamilton County Coroner's Office determined all five casings were fired from the same firearm. Court records show McGrew was legally prohibited from possessing a gun at the time because of a 2019 robbery conviction.
Darius McGrew appears in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court for sentencing on Sept. 22, 2026.
In Court
Mallory Reed, one of McGrew's attorneys, said her client accepts responsibility for his role in what she described as an "incredibly sad and tragic" case and urged the judge to follow the plea agreement. In court McGrew said, "I just want to apologize to everybody."
"You took my son away from me," Nehemiah's father, Abdul McMillon, told the court. "You could've called the police, anything, man. Now, I'm suffering. It hurts."
Judge Wagner called the killing "another senseless crime involving guns in our community." The sentence reflects both the severity of the outcome and the plea negotiated between defense and prosecutors. The case underscores ongoing concerns about firearm violence and the tragic consequences when confrontations escalate.
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