On Friday November 15th, 28-year-old Anthony Blakely pleaded guilty to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (a felony of the first degree), murder (an unclassified felony), and felonious assault (a felony of the second degree).
Judge David Gormley sentenced Blakely immediately following his plea. Blakely received a life sentence with parole eligibility after 33 years for his string of crimes that included killing Alejandro Fajardo-Torres during a robbery attempt at an AutoZone in Delaware County on August 24, 2023.
Blakely was identified by Columbus Police as a perpetrator in a string of robberies at multiple AutoZones and other businesses during the summer of 2023 in Franklin and Delaware Counties. While inside the AutoZone in Delaware County, Blakely demanded a store clerk open a cash register, and when the clerk could not, Blakely struck him violently with a gun. Blakely’s actions set off a chain of events in which Good Samaritain Alejandro Fajardo-Torres was murdered. Blakely will be eligible for parole earlier than his co-defendants because he did not participate in a subsequent robbery that left another man paralyzed.
“The plea and sentencing of Anthony Blakely conclude the prosecution of those involved in the senseless murder of Alejandro Fajardo-Torres, but it does not represent the end of the pain and suffering of Alejandro’s family.” Delaware County Prosecutor Melissa Schiffel said. “Alejandro leaves behind family and friends who valiantly represented him in court during the three prosecutions of these individuals. Forever ingrained in our hearts and minds are the images and videos of Alejandro with his young son who now has to grow up without his father due to senseless violence committed by these three Columbus men.”