Attorney General DeWine Announces New Charges in Murder, Dismemberment of Youngstown Woman

(YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio)— Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced today that new charges have been filed against three people accused of operating a criminal enterprise in an attempt to cover up the murder and dismemberment of a Youngstown woman.

Today, a special prosecutor with Attorney General DeWine’s Special Prosecutions Section presented new evidence to a Mahoning County grand jury regarding the murder of Shannon Graves, 28, whose remains were found in a freezer in July 2017.

“The measures that this group allegedly took to cover up this gruesome homicide are incomprehensible,” said Attorney General DeWine. “These three defendants are accused of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity in an attempt to mislead authorities and conceal their atrocious crimes.”

Arturo Novoa, 32, of Youngstown, who was previously arrested and charged with Graves’ murder, is now facing the following 44 charges:

  • Aggravated murder, one count
  • Murder, one count
  • Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, one count
  • Tampering with evidence, 24 counts
  • Abuse of a corpse, six counts
  • Possession of criminal tools, three counts
  • Theft of WIC program benefits, three counts
  • Grand theft of a motor vehicle, one count
  • Drug trafficking, four counts

According to the indictment, Novoa, who is Graves’ former boyfriend, murdered the victim in February or March 2017. He is accused of dismembering her body, concealing her limbs in a freezer, and further mutilating the rest of her remains.

Andrew Herrmann, 27, of Youngstown, allegedly helped Novoa dismember the victim’s body, move her remains, and destroy personal items belonging to the victim. Herrmann was arrested this afternoon and is now charged with the following 14 counts:

  • Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, one count
  • Tampering with evidence, 12 counts
  • Abuse of a corpse, one count

Herrmann’s wife, Michelle Ihlenfeld, 26, of Youngstown, is accused of making threats and obstructing the investigation into the homicide and cover-up of Graves’ death. Ihlenfeld was arrested this afternoon and is now charged with the following four counts:

  • Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, one count
  • Intimidation, two counts
  • Obstruction of justice, one count

A search warrant was also served today at the home of Herrmann and Ihlenfeld.

The case remains under investigation by the Youngstown Police Department.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.