COLUMBUS, Ind. — Abraham Jimenez Cesareo, 37, 2207 Seventh St., entered a plea bargain agreement Wednesday in Bartholomew Superior Court 1, agreeing to plead guilty to aiding, inducing or causing kidnapping, a Level 2 felony and aiding, inducing or causing aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony, in a case involving the death of 37-year-old Leobardo Rodriguez Flores.
An earlier indication that the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office would pursue the death penalty in the case has been dropped, according to court officials. Cesareo’s sentencing has been set for 3:30 p.m. Dec. 7.
Court affidavits accuse Cesareo of hiring a Chicago man, Eliel Avelar, to come to Columbus and physically harm Flores. Investigators said in court documents Cesareo was motivated by jealousy because Flores was dating his ex-girlfriend.
Avelar earlier pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Flores, who was shot and killed Feb. 26, 2020 in the parking lot of his employer, Tool Dynamics, on South Marr Road.
As part of his plea agreement, Avelar agreed to testify against the other defendants in the case, including Cesareo, Eladia Jacobo Ortiz and Esam Mohammed Abujoudeh.
Abujoudeh, 24, of Oak Forest, Illinois, is charged with battery resulting in serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice as a Level 6 felony. Ortiz, 35, is charged with aiding, inducing or causing murder.
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
