Man found guilty of killing Toledo Correctional Institution cellmate

10/2/2013

A convicted murderer pleaded no contest today to killing his cellmate at Toledo Correctional Institution.

Dustin Lynch, 26, was then found guilty of aggravated murder by Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Gary Cook, who scheduled sentencing for Oct. 16.

Lynch, who faces up to life in prison without parole, strangled Arturo Lopez, 43, formerly of Port Clinton, with a rope March 17 at the state prison.

Lynch, who already was serving 20 years to life for killing a 17-year-old girl in her Medina County home in 2002, told investigators he was thinking of killing Lopez when they became cellmates March 11 because Lopez was serving a sentence for rape.

Jennifer Donovan, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, told the court Lynch had Lopez make a rope for him to use for jump roping then used that rope to strangle him. He also carved the word “CHOMO” in the victim’s back – a reference to child molester.