CLEVELAND, OH – An Ohio woman who admitted to killing a Cleveland State University professor in his home on the day they met has been sentenced to 23 years to life in prison.
On Thursday, Terreionna Paschal, 32, was handed the sentence following her guilty plea to aggravated murder with a gun specification in the April 19, 2023, death of Todd A. Morgan, 41, according to Summit County prosecutors. Paschal will be eligible for parole after serving 23 years.
During the sentencing, Morgan’s mother, Sandy Morgan, spoke passionately, urging for the harshest penalty. “I would like to see Ms. Paschal pay dearly for taking my son’s life,” she said emotionally. “Todd’s not here to tell his story… he was brutally murdered by you, and he basically died for nothing.”
Sandy Morgan conveyed the deep impact her son’s death had on their family. “You took a father from two beautiful children,” she lamented. “They were his world. And he was theirs.”
Paschal expressed remorse, addressing the family directly. “I’m very sorry, and I hope that one day you can find it in your hearts to forgive me,” she said.
The tragic incident came to light when police conducted a welfare check at Morgan’s residence after he failed to pick up his 4-year-old daughter from school. Authorities found him shot in the head and torso.
Evidence collected from the scene included shell casings and a bloody shoe print, which helped to place Paschal at the scene. Witnesses also reported seeing a person with long dark hair leaving Morgan’s home.
An investigation revealed that Paschal and Morgan had only known each other for a short period, connecting through a mobile app. Phone records, DNA, and ballistics evidence eventually led to her indictment.
Morgan was remembered as an assistant professor of business at Cleveland State University and a devoted father. “All who knew Todd Morgan could attest to his fierce love for his family,” his obituary read. “He cherished his role as a father and was committed to his children’s well-being. He will be deeply missed.”
