COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man charged with reckless homicide in connection to the fatal beating of a man in Grandview Heights has pleaded guilty.

According to court records, Jacob Laurence, who was facing felony charges of reckless homicide and two counts of tampering with evidence, pleaded guilty to the former charge Monday afternoon. For a previous report on this story view the video player above.

Laurence, 34, was arrested in the November 13, 2023, assault of Stephen Albright, who was found unresponsive near the intersection of West 5th Avenue and Dublin Road in the Marble Cliff area. Albright, 57, died from “severe head injuries” four days later.

An investigation led the police to Laurence one week later after receiving a tip. Laurence was one of two people named of interest after surveillance video images from the area of Albright’s death were released.

A SWAT unit tracked Laurence to the 1300 block of Dublin Road after a home search warrant in the 100 block of Columbian Avenue was issued. He was charged in Nov. 2023 with parole violations related to a burglary investigation, but in March 2024 was officially indicted in Albright’s death.

Police also took a woman connected with Laurence into custody and questioned her but never identified her or filed any charges against her. Albright’s brother, James, said the night of the incident, Stephen had dropped his daughter off at a class and decided to go for a run.

A sentence hearing for Laurence is scheduled for May 20 and he could face a maximum sentence of up to three years in prison.

In addition to his guilty plea in this case, Laurence also pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice for a jail escape in an unrelated case. That sentence includes one year at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.