People who have kept those “Justice for Rowan” yard signs since 4-year-old Rowan Sweeney was murdered in Struthers more than three-and-a-half years ago may be keeping them longer.

Sentencing hearings that had been scheduled this week for two of the men convicted in the child’s killing have been postponed.

Twenty-four-year-old Andre McCoy, who pleaded guilty to murder, was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday.  Court officials tell 21 News a new date will be set.

Wednesday’s sentencing of 21-year-old Brandon Crump has also been continued to an as-yet unknown date.  A jury found Crump guilty of murder, attempted murder, felonious assault, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, and conspiracy.

Twenty-seven-year-old Kimonie Bryant was supposed to be sentenced nearly two weeks ago for his plea to one count of aggravated murder.  However, that hearing was canceled after a motion was filed alleging that he lied to prosecutors during his plea deal.

Bryant’s next court hearing isn’t scheduled until July 2.

David Sweeney, Rowan’s father, posted a message about the delay on the Justice for Rowan Sweeney Facebook page:

“..So right now I don't know when they will be sentenced, but it eventually will happen. It's exhausting yes..”

 

Brandon Crump (L), Kimonie Bryant, (C) Andre McCoy (R)
Brandon Crump (L), Kimonie Bryant, (C) Andre McCoy (R)  

 

Investigators say on the night of the murder, Crump and Bryant planned to commit a robbery at a Perry Street home after learning that resident Yarnell Green Jr., had received a check for several thousand dollars in federal pandemic unemployment assistance funds.

Alexis Schneider and her 4-year-old son Rowan Sweeney, who was sitting on a couch, were both shot.

A woman sitting in the kitchen, Cassandra Marsicola, was shot three times during the robbery.

Yarnell Green was shot several times while trying to run away.  Green, who would have been a witness in the case, was later fatally shot in a separate incident in Youngstown.