YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — The Seventh District Court of Appeals last week denied the appeal of a man convicted of a June 2017 shooting death on Youngstown’s west side.

The court in a 3-0 ruling found that none of the claims cited by Dashonti Baker, 27, had merit, and affirmed his April 2019 conviction on charges of murder with a firearm specification and being a felon in possession of a firearm for the shooting death of Rae’venne.

Faircloth-Thomas was found shot to death in an SUV on Oneta Street.

Police and prosecutors said Faircloth-Thomas was killed because of a property dispute she had with Baker. She was shot in the head six times, police said.

Baker was sentenced to 21 years to life in prison by Judge Antnony Donofrio.

Of the six grounds he had for appeal, the main one was his contention that Judge Donofrio should not have allowed testimony by the lead detective in the case, Detective Sgt. Michael Lambert, showing cell phone data that prosecutors contended linked Baker to the crime because it showed his phone in the area where Baker was killed.

Other grounds for appeal by Baker were that his conviction should be overturned because there was not enough evidence to convict him; that a mistrial his trial lawyer filed for should have been granted; that firearms evidence gathered against him should have never been allowed at trial; and that his speedy trial rights were violated.

Writing a 40-page opinion, Appellate Judge Carol Ann Robb said that Judge Donofrio was right to allow Lambert’s testimony because Lambert received special training on how cell phone data could be used in criminal investigations.

Joining Judge Robb in her opinion was Judge Cheryl L. Waite and Visiting Judge Stephen W. Powell of the 12th District Court of Appeals.