Cole Hornsby was sentenced to 24 years to life in prison for murdering his neighbor Theodore Block by shooting him 12 times in the back. The incident occurred in Cincinnati after a dispute over gunfire. Hornsby claimed self-defense but was convicted of murder and tampering with evidence.
On April 16, 2024, in the 5000 block of Kilby Road in Cincinnati, Ohio, a fatal shooting unfolded between neighbors Cole Hornsby and Theodore "Ted" Block. According to court records, Hornsby, aged 26, had been firing a large muzzleloader rifle from his porch that evening. Block, a 40-year-old grandfather who was babysitting his young grandchildren with his wife Krissy Block, approached Hornsby and asked him to stop. An argument followed, during which Block threatened to call the police before walking back to his home.
As Block retreated, witnesses reported that Hornsby shouted, "take this b—," pulled out a gun, and fired 12 shots into Block's back. Forensic testimony at trial indicated that one shot struck Block while he lay face down on the ground. First responders found Block deceased upon arrival after a 911 call. Hornsby then hid the firearm in his shed.
Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Jennifer Branch imposed the maximum sentence of 24 years to life on Thursday, following a jury's guilty verdict on charges of murder and tampering with evidence. Krissy Block witnessed the shooting and testified at the trial.
During sentencing, Block's daughter Alyiah addressed the court, stating, "Cole Hornsby, a man who should stay behind bars for as long as his heart beats. A coward of a man who took an innocent life for no reason at all but his own pleasure. A man who can't admit that his decisions he made that night were never an act of self-defense, but him firing on an unarmed, non-threatening man that was only trying to protect his family from the psychopath next door."
Hornsby's defense requested a two-year term followed by probation, but Prosecutor Connie Pillich welcomed the ruling. She said, "I appreciate the judge's careful consideration of this case and decision to impose the maximum allowed sentence, as my office requested. This was a tragic and preventable killing. Ted Block should be alive today. While no sentence can bring him back, this ensures the community will be safe from Cole Hornsby for as long as possible."