A Toledo man was found guilty today of killing a man who had attempted to steal drugs from him during a deal that officials said went “terribly wrong.”
Paul Cooper, 33, of 2838 Elm St., was found guilty in Lucas County Common Pleas Court of murder with a gun specification for the Oct. 26 shooting death of Michael Heidtman. The jury deliberated for about 4 ½ hours over two days before returning a verdict early today.
Judge Frederick McDonald set a Tuesday sentencing date. Cooper faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 18 years.
Throughout the two-day trial, several witnesses testified about the events leading up to the shooting of Heidtman, 29, in the 4000 block of Lewis Avenue.
Authorities said Heidtman and another man were trying to purchase drugs from Cooper when Heidtman grabbed the crack cocaine and ran. Although he was later tackled and the drugs retrieved, he was shot once through the window of a car after he returned in a vehicle to the house where a party had been going on.
First Published September 21, 2012, 9:28 p.m.
