Jamal Kukla: Ohio man gets life imprisonment for killing pastor's daughter and hiding body under church steps
CUYAHOGA COUNTY, CLEVELAND: Jamal Kukla, 29, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a pastor’s 31-year-old daughter, Jasmine Washington. The Cuyahoga County Court ordered the prison sentence with the possibility of parole 15 years into the prison sentence. Kukla had beaten her to death with a garden tool and hidden her body under the church steps. He then fled the scene, only to be caught after multiple years of investigation.
The murder took place at Slavic Village four years ago in 2018. Kukla has been charged with two counts of murder and also a count of felonious assault. He has also been charged with the tampering of evidence and the gross abuse of a corpse. Kukla was found to be the killer when a DNA sample taken from the crime scene matched his. He was taken into custody two years ago in May 2020.
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County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley spoke after the verdict and said, “In 2018, Jamal Kukla brutally murdered 31-year-old Jasmine Washington in Slavic Village. After 2 years of searching for the killer, the Cleveland Police received a sample of Kukla’s DNA which matched the evidence collected at the crime scene… I hope after today’s verdict the victim’s family and friends can finally feel justice has been served.”
“More and more, familial analysis positively links DNA evidence from a crime scene to a suspect, providing investigators with leads that crack a case,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said following Kukla’s arrest. “I’m thankful that our Bureau of Criminal Investigations team was able to assist our local and federal partners in solving this brutal homicide.”
Given the horrific nature of the crime, it is only natural that the family grieves, despite it being years after the killing. “In her last hours she was faced with brutality and terror, alone with someone intent on doing her harm, and the thought of that is unbearable and I’m haunted by the horror of it all,” Washington’s stepmother had said.
A report by Law and Crime also states that the father of the victim, Reverend James Washington, has spoken emotionally about the chilling murder of his daughter. He mentions that while he has forgiven the killer, he will never forget. “She might have had some challenges,” Reverend Washington reportedly said, “but she was loved. She will not be forgotten.” Throughout the hearing and sentencing, Kukla did not speak a word upon advice received from his legal counsel. It is reported that Kukla’s team plan to appeal the verdict.