CLEVELAND AYRO SENTENCED FOR ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY AND HOMICIDE

January 31, 2024:  16th Judicial Attorney Bo Duhé announces that:

On January 29, 2024, Cleveland Ayro was sentenced in connection with two separate violent offenses.

In July of 2017, Cleveland Ayro walked into the Office Lounge wearing a ski mask and dressed all in black.  Ayro pinted a rifle at the bartenders and demanded that they give him their money.  Two customers wrestled Ayro to the ground, disarmed him, and held him untiil law enforcement arrived.


Ayro was charged with attempted armed robbery in connection with that incident.  Ayro made bond in November of 2020.

Approximately one month later, in December of 2020, Keith Johnson was shot while in his vehilce.  Despite life-saving efforts, Johnson died as a result of his wounds.

Ayro was quickly identified as a suspect and was arrested by the New Iberia Police Department.  A stolen handgun that was determined to be the murder weapon was receovered near Ayro.  Later, forensic testing revealed that Ayro's DNA was on the gun.

Ultimately, Ayro pled guilty to one count of attempted armed robbery in connection with the 2017 incident and to manslaughter in connection with the homicide of Keith Johnson.

The maximum sentence for attempted armed robbey is 49 1/2 years at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.  The maximum sentence for manslaughter is 40 years at hard labor.

A sentencing hearing was held before the Honorable Curtis Sigur on January 29, 2024.  Ayro has a lengthy criminal hisotry, including convictions for second degree battery, public intimidation and unauthorized use of a movable.

For the attempted armed robbery conviction, Judge Sigur sentenced Ayro to 37 years at hard labor, without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.  For the manslaughter conviction in connection witht the homicide of Keith Johnson, Judge Sigur sentenced Ayro to 40 years at hard labor.

Assistant District Attorney Alister Charrier prosecuted the case.  The cases were investigated by the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office and the New Iberia Police Department with assistance fromt the Acadiana Criminalistics Labortory.