CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Of the three suspects in Cleveland’s infamous 1999 Valentine’s Day triple slaying case, only one is behind bars.
Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood has dismissed capital murder charges against defendant Michael Younger, though he left open the possibility of charges later by ruling “without prejudice.”
Prosecutor Steve Bebb had asked the court to dismiss the murder charges, citing the conduct of the previous judge and the prosecuting detective. On Monday, Bebb said all parties had agreed to make no public comments about the Friday ruling.
On Feb. 14, 1999, the bodies of Dawn Rogers, Cayci Higgins and O.J. Blair were found in a Bradley County apartment, shot in the back of the head as they knelt on the floor with their hands tied behind their backs.
After years of investigation, Maurice Johnson, Twanna Blair and Younger were indicted. Johnson was found guilty in 2009 of first-degree murder and is serving a life sentence without possibility of parole. Blair’s trial ended with a hung jury and a mistrial in 2009, and her case is before the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals.