Key Points
- Money L. Baccus, 19, faces charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, and three specifications for using a gun in the crimes.
- Baccus allegedly shot and killed O’Neill Brothers Jr., 30, unarmed, at his home on Second Street SW, Canton, Ohio, on 12 February 2025.
- Incident stemmed from a dispute over Baccus’s cell phone after Hawkins took it in retaliation for her damaging their space heater.
- Baccus served as live-in babysitter for her sister Alma Brown, Hawkins, and their three children under age 5.
- Prosecutor Olivia Cope claims Baccus shot Hawkins in the right arm in anger, in front of Brown and the children, then fled with the phone.
- Defence attorney Anthony J. Wise argues self-defence, citing Baccus’s fear from prior abuse by Hawkins, Brown, and family, including a throat-holding incident.
- Wise highlighted Baccus’s traumatic childhood: witnessed man hit mother with baseball bat and rub glass in her eyes; beaten by family requiring hospitalisation; irregular schooling, homelessness.
- Hawkins described by Cope as devoted partner to Brown for 10 years, father, son, grandson, brother, nephew; couple invited Baccus to live with them in May 2024.
- Trial presided over by Judge Taryn L. Heath in Stark County Common Pleas Court; opening statements on 13 January 2026; expected to continue 14, 15, and possibly 16 January 2026.
- Initial bond set at $1 million by Canton Municipal Court judge following arrest.
- Baccus arrested by U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force in Akron on day of shooting.
Canton, Ohio (Canton Repository) 13 January 2026 – The murder trial of Money L. Baccus, a 19-year-old Canton woman accused of shooting her sister’s partner Shawn J. Hawkins Jr. during a row over a mobile phone, commenced in Stark County Common Pleas Court. Judge Taryn L. Heath oversees proceedings as prosecutors and defence presented starkly contrasting opening statements on Tuesday. Baccus, who lived as a babysitter in the victims’ home, faces severe charges including aggravated murder.
What Charges Does Money L. Baccus Face?
Money L. Baccus stands trial on counts of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, and three related specifications alleging discharge of a firearm in the commission of the offences. As reported in initial coverage by the Canton Repository, these charges stem from the fatal shooting of Shawn J. Hawkins Jr. on 12 February 2025 at his residence on Second Street SW in Canton.
The incident occurred in the presence of Baccus’s sister Alma Brown and three young children, all under five years old. Canton police responded to reports of a shooting, identifying Baccus as the suspect who fled the scene before her arrest later that day.
Who Was Shawn J. Hawkins Jr.?
Assistant Stark County Prosecutor Olivia Cope, in her opening statement on 13 January 2026, portrayed Shawn J. Hawkins Jr., aged 30, as a devoted partner to Alma Brown for a decade, alongside being a father, son, grandson, brother, and nephew. Cope noted that Hawkins and Brown had welcomed Baccus into their home in May 2024 when she needed accommodation, employing her as a live-in babysitter for their children.
Hawkins suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the right arm while unarmed, according to prosecutors. An obituary for Hawkins highlights his life before the tragedy, though specifics remain limited in public records.
What Led to the Shooting Incident?
Prosecutor Olivia Cope detailed the events of 12 February 2025 in her opening remarks. Hawkins could not locate his socks while preparing for work and found them among Baccus’s belongings, prompting tension. While Hawkins and Brown were at work, Baccus, upset that her things had been searched, sent texts and calls declaring she was finished babysitting.
The couple rushed home to care for their three children. Upon arrival, they discovered Baccus had damaged their space heater. In response, Hawkins confiscated Baccus’s mobile phone, which he had purchased for her. Cope stated: “Baccus retreated to her room, then exited and demanded that Hawkins give her the phone. And when he doesn’t, she shoots him.” She added: “The evidence will show that she shoots him in front of three of his children, in front of Alma, she shoots him while he’s unarmed, and that she takes the phone and she flees.”
Cope described Baccus retrieving a gun from the couple’s closet, which she had previously stashed in her downstairs room. Coverage from Sly Bail Bonds noted the dispute’s escalation over the phone as central to the prosecution’s narrative.
What Is the Self-Defence Claim?
Public defender Anthony J. Wise countered in his 13 January 2026 opening statement that Baccus acted in self-defence, propelled into “survival mode” by hypervigilance from past trauma. Wise alleged a prior assault where Hawkins held Baccus by the throat and neck, Brown pulled her hair, and another family member punched her head. He further claimed Hawkins threatened Baccus at Christmas 2024.
Wise emphasised Baccus’s abusive upbringing: she witnessed a man strike her mother with a baseball bat and rub glass shards in her eyes; endured a severe beating by family leading to hospitalisation. He noted her irregular school attendance, frequent homelessness, couch-surfing, or street living.
Regarding the phone, Wise argued it represented Baccus’s sole link to the outside world, as Brown and Hawkins controlled her finances, movements, and diet. Baccus had taken the gun intending to sell it for a bus ticket to escape, according to the defence.
Who Is Presiding Over the Trial?
Judge Taryn L. Heath of Stark County Common Pleas Court presides over the proceedings. Opening statements occurred on 13 January 2026, with testimony anticipated to span all day on 14 January, 15 January, and potentially 16 January 2026.
The court previously set a $1 million bond for Baccus shortly after her arrest, as reported by Canton Repository and echoed in social media updates from local outlets like Cleveland 19 News.
What Happened Before the Trial?
Following the 12 February 2025 shooting, Canton police investigated the 1900 block of Second Street SW. Baccus, then 18, was apprehended that evening by the U.S. Marshals-led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) at Crosby Street and S. Balch Street in Akron, Ohio.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott commended the task force: “Within 24 hours our fugitive task force had two outstanding arrests in Akron and Euclid. Our task force is constantly pursuing and arresting wanted fugitives, in hopes to make the communities we serve safer.” Baccus was indicted on the charges, with initial reports from Jordan Miller News confirming additional counts of felonious assault and domestic violence.
A Canton Municipal Court judge set the $1 million bond on 14 February 2025, as covered extensively by Canton Repository and local Facebook groups discussing the case.
How Has the Case Been Covered by Media?
Local media, particularly the Canton Repository, has provided primary coverage, detailing the bond hearing, indictment, and trial commencement. As per a 14 February 2025 article, a Canton Municipal Court judge established the high bond amid community interest.
Social media posts from outlets like WHBC, Cleveland 19 News, News5Cleveland, and Fox8NewsCleveland reiterated key facts, including Baccus’s arrival at Stark County Jail and charges. Sly Bail Bonds highlighted the $1 million bond and phone dispute in bonding context.
U.S. Marshals press release emphasised the rapid arrest, linking it to broader fugitive operations. No additional trial day updates beyond 13 January 2026 appear in current searches, aligning with the ongoing nature of proceedings.
