CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that Hakeem-Ali Shomo, 34, was found guilty of aggravated murder and conspiracy among other charges for his part in torturing and killing 21-year-old Alishah Pointer in East Cleveland. Shomo will be sentenced on January 7, 2026, at 10 a.m.

“Alishah Pointer’s family has been waiting a long time for these five individuals to be held accountable. Today’s verdict delivers the final conviction in this brutal case and brings us closer to the justice her family deserves.”

– Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley

On November 4, 2021, Portria Williams, 34, Destiny Henderson, 21, Nathaniel Poke, 26, and Hakeem-Ali Shomo drove to a residence near Glenmont Road and Superior Road in East Cleveland. Henderson and Shomo, armed with a gun, forced two female victims, 25 and 21, to get inside their vehicle and drove them to 21-year-old Alishah Pointer’s location.

They then lured Alishah Pointer out of that residence and took her to another location at gunpoint.

Portria Williams, Destiny Henderson, Nathaniel Poke, and Hakeem-Ali Shomo, ultimately released the first two victims and transported Alishah Pointer to Portria Williams’s residence, where they held her into the next day. While there, Brittany Smith, 36, and Anthony Bryant, 22, arrived at Williams’s residence, and Poke left. Then Shomo, Smith, and Bryant physically assaulted Alishah Pointer in order to gain information related to their friend’s death. Afterward, Shomo left Williams’s residence.

Henderson, Smith, Williams, and Bryant then forced Alishah Pointer inside their vehicle and drove her to an abandoned residence near Savannah Avenue and Manhattan Avenue in East Cleveland. After forcing her inside the abandoned residence, Williams and Bryant fired several shots at the victim. Henderson attempted to shoot but the gun did not fire. Afterward, Henderson, Williams, Bryant, and Smith left the scene and went to Shomo’s residence.

On November 9, the East Cleveland Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation located Alishah Pointer in the abandoned house, and she was pronounced deceased at the scene.

On December 7, 2022, Destiny Henderson pleaded guilty to the following charges:

  • One count of Involuntary Manslaughter
  • One count of Kidnapping
  • One count of Conspiracy

On December 8, 2022, Nathaniel Poke pleaded guilty to the following charges:

  • One count of Involuntary Manslaughter
  • One count of Kidnapping
  • One count of Conspiracy

On March 20, 2023, Portria Williams pleaded guilty to the following charges:

  • One count of Aggravated Murder
  • One count of Kidnapping
  • One count of Conspiracy

On October 7, 2025, Brittany Smith pleaded guilty to the following charges:

  • One count of Aggravated Murder
  • One count of Conspiracy

On October 31, 2025, Anthony Bryant was found guilty by a jury on the following charges:

  • Two counts of Aggravated Murder
  • Three counts of Murder
  • Two counts of Felonious Assault
  • Two counts of Kidnapping
  • One count of Conspiracy

On November 25, 2025, Hakeem-Ali Shomo was found guilty by a jury on the following charges:

  • Two counts of Aggravated Murder
  • Two counts of Murder
  • Two counts of Felonious Assault
  • Four counts of Kidnapping
  • One count of Conspiracy

He was found guilty by the judge on the following charge:

  • One count of Having Weapons While Under Disability

Shomo will be sentenced at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center on January 7 at 10 a.m. The other five defendants are awaiting sentencing.