A jury has reached a verdict in the case of a man accused of kidnapping and murdering three Youngstown men in March of 2023.

Court employees told 21 News the jury found 59-year-old Elias Gudino guilty on all charges against him Friday afternoon. Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC reports Gudino is set to be sentenced December 18.

Gudino was convicted of the kidnapping and murders of 25-year-old Inmer Reyes, 31-year-old Victor Varela-Rodriguez, and 35-year-old Domingo Castillo-Reyes. He is also accused of kidnapping a fourth man and attempting to kill him. 

One of the victim's bodies was found along Wright Road in Copley during the morning hours of March 10, 2023, and two others were found in the roadway on Cordova Avenue.

All three victims had been bound, gagged, and shot. The fourth man was also bound and gaged but alleges that the bullet went through his hat instead of hitting him when Gudino shot him. 

“Anytime you have a crime this horrific it's going to shake the community but we're just pleased to finally bring it to justice,” Elliot Kolkobich, a Summit County Prosecutor said.

The prosecution stated that Gudino went into a Youngstown home to confront a man with whom his ex-wife was having a relationship with.

Prosecutors say the man no longer lived at the home and Gudino couldn't get him to come over there, so he took the man's three friends as hostages instead.

However, the defense argued that this was a case of Gudino trying to turn over a new leaf following a release from prison on a drug trafficking conviction, but committing the crime due to threats from the drug cartel.

“The problem was Mr.Gudino came up with one story he then changed it and changed it, then ultimately he came out with a fourth story that he testified to and with the inconsistencies are tough for a jury to handle,” John Greven, Gudino’s Defense Attorney said.

You can read more about this case in our related coverage below.

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