Joshua Haber, a 19-year-old male of unspecified ethnicity from Warren, Ohio, tragically lost his life on February 25, 2017. He was one of two individuals killed in a shooting incident outside the home of Nasser Hamad on State Route 46 in Howland, Ohio. The other victim, Joshua Williams, aged 20, also succumbed to injuries sustained during the shooting.
The incident also resulted in injuries to three other individuals: April Vokes, aged 43; John Shivley, aged 17; and Bryce Hendrickson, aged 20. Hendrickson later died of an apparent drug overdose. The victims were reportedly at Hamad's residence to confront him over a dispute involving his girlfriend, who was Hendrickson's mother.
Nasser Hamad was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated murder and six counts of attempted aggravated murder. He was found guilty on October 31, 2017, and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. Despite his conviction, Hamad's attorneys continued to appeal his sentence, arguing for a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter and claiming that Hamad was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of the shooting. However, these appeals were denied, and Hamad's conviction was upheld.
Hamad's case drew significant attention due to the circumstances surrounding his death sentence and the subsequent legal battles. He was diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer in January 2018, which later spread to his lungs. Despite his illness, Hamad remained incarcerated until his death in September 2018. His attorneys continued to seek ways to overturn his conviction even after his death.
The tragic loss of Joshua Haber and Joshua Williams left a lasting impact on their families and the community, with many expressing grief and disbelief over the senseless violence that took their lives.
