A Cincinnati teenager has been sentenced to 25 to 29 years in prison after pleading guilty in the 2025 killing of Laura Schueler, a beloved transgender woman and LGBTQ+ advocate whose death shocked the local community.
Nineteen-year-old Ajani Grimes entered guilty pleas to involuntary manslaughter, kidnapping, firearm-related offenses, and other charges connected to Schueler’s death. The sentence also includes penalties stemming from a separate aggravated robbery case from 2024.
According to prosecutors, Schueler met Grimes on the night of June 6, 2025, and entered his vehicle. Investigators told the court they do not know exactly what occurred inside the car, but evidence showed that Schueler attempted to flee. Prosecutors said Grimes exited the vehicle, pursued her, and shot her in the back of the head before leaving her on the side of the road. Her body was later discovered near her home in Cincinnati’s Evanston neighborhood.
Authorities were able to connect Grimes to the killing through ballistic evidence. Investigators determined that shell casings recovered from Schueler’s homicide matched evidence linked to a previous armed robbery case involving Grimes. At the time of the killing, prosecutors said he was out on bond and had removed an electronic ankle monitor.
During the emotional sentencing hearing, family members and friends described Schueler as a compassionate advocate who devoted herself to helping others. Her cousin, Geno Griffith, remembered her as someone who consistently showed up for friends, family, and members of the LGBTQ+ community who needed support.
Schueler’s grandmother spoke about the devastating impact of the loss, while her best friend, Martez Meadows, addressed Grimes directly in court, expressing the anger and grief felt by those closest to Schueler.
Grimes declined to make a statement before sentencing. Hamilton County Judge Jennifer Branch imposed a prison term of 25 to 29 years. Family members later said that while the sentence brings some measure of accountability, no punishment can restore the life that was taken.
Schueler is remembered by loved ones not only as a prominent voice within Cincinnati’s LGBTQ+ community but also as a caring friend, family member, and advocate who worked to ensure others felt seen and supported. More than a year after her death, those who knew her say her legacy continues through the lives she touched and the community she helped build.
