City condemns Anthony Sowell's Imperial Avenue home

CLEVELAND - The city of Cleveland has condemned the Imperial Avenue home of convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell, where the remains of 11 women were found in 2009 -- but the owner said she plans to fight demolition.

The home, at 12205 Imperial Ave., was inspected on Aug. 30 by the Departments of Building and Housing, the Cleveland Health Department, and the Cleveland Police Department.

Multiple violations were found in the home, and a 30-day notice has been mailed to the parties with an interest in the property. If compliance with the violations has not been met by Oct. 2, then the home will be demolished, according to the mayor’s office.

Click here to see a copy of the letter sent detailing the violations: http://5.wews.com/TWt.

The code violations include no running water, cracks and holes in the walls and ceilings, a failing foundation, a lack of working smoke detectors, roach infestation, damaged electrical facilities and high grass and weeds.

According to the document, the responsible parties of Virginia Oliver of Shaker Heights, Financial Freedom Acquisition LLC, of Cincinnati and Austin, Texas, and the estate of Sojourna Sowell, Anthony's step-mother.

The 89-year-old owner told NewsChannel5 she plans to get an attorney and fight the demolition. She said the problems are able to be fixed -- and the issues are only with the third floor and the basement. She said her daughter was married to Sowell's father.

Jurors and select members of the media toured the house before testimony began in the trial. You can view a photo gallery of the images here: http://5.wews.com/1J8.

A fence was placed around the home after the bodies were removed and a police detail was stationed nearby, as the house was used as evidence during the trial.

The home had been in the Sowell family for several decades.

Sowell was convicted on 82 counts in the deaths of 11 women whose remains were found at his home. The jury recommended that the 52-year-old be sentenced to death and Judge Dick Ambrose upheld that ruling.

The judge set an execution date of Oct. 29, 2012, which is subject to change for appeals. That is the three-year anniversary of the initial discovery on Imperial Avenue.