Winton Hills grocery store firebomber sentenced to prison
Donald Donatelli pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati to the attack in October of last year. According to court documents, he has never said why he did it.
Prosecutors said Donatelli "cased" the Tree Top Grocery on Gwinnett Road on Nov. 26, 2023, entered the store and walked around. Then, about four hours later, he returned, lit a rag hanging out of a bottle filled with gasoline, and smashed in the entryway of the store.
The owners scrambled to put out the fire with water bottles they sell in their store, according to court documents. No was injured, but fire investigators determined the blaze caused $330,000 in damage.
The incident was filmed on Snapchat by his co-defendant Angela Schweitzer. Schweitzer pleaded guilty to related charges in January. She has not yet been sentenced.
Prosecutors said Donatelli tried to get Schweitzer to delete the video and attempted to create an alibi for himself. It was an anonymous tip that led investigators to Donatelli who was arrested in Clermont County following the fire on charges of theft and receiving stolen property.
"While there is no excuse for such acts, the defendant has never offered an explanation for his firebomb attack," prosecutors wrote in court documents. "The victims have repeatedly asked why they were targeted for such brutality."
Prosecutors said Donatelli has shown no remorse for the attack. U.S District Court Judge Matthew W. McFarland ordered that Donatelli's sentence begin the completion his sentence for the offenses in Clermont County.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Man convicted in Winton Hills grocery firebombing sentenced to prison
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