An Avon Lake Municipal judge set a $1 million bond for a Lorain man charged in the January murder of a mother of four.
Avon Lake Municipal Judge Darrel Bilancini presided over a arraignment hearing April 19 for James Lavern Kimbrough III, 35, on a charge of aggravated murder of Milenna Lopez, 24.
Bilancini also scheduled a preliminary hearing for April 27.
On Jan. 6, police said Kimbrough fatally shot Lopez, his 24-year-old former girlfriend and mother of his two children.
Lopez was killed while sitting in her vehicle on a mid-morning break at the Sheffield Village McDonald’s restaurant where she was employed as a manager.
After the shooting, Kimbrough went into hiding while authorities issued rewards for information leading to his capture.
He was arrested April 16 by a Lorain bondsman who had offered a $35,000 reward for information regarding his whereabouts.
Authorities had been searching for Kimbrough for just over four months.
Kimbrough has hired Michael Stepanik, a Lorain-based attorney, to represent him in the multiple cases against him in Lorain Municipal Court as well as Lorain County Common Pleas Court.
Stepanik didn’t return a call for comment.
Kimbrough also is facing several charges in Lorain Municipal Court.
The charges include domestic violence against Lopez and violating a protection order
Lorain Municipal Judge Mark Mihok will conduct a pretrial May 6 for Kimbrough.
