Man accused of killing Cleveland marriage counselor pleads guilty

CLEVELAND - A Cleveland man accused of stabbing his wife to death and leaving her 4-year-old son in the middle of a street appeared in court on Monday.

Maurice Lyons, 38, faced a long list of charges including, aggravated murder, kidnapping, aggravated robbery, rape, and endangering children

Lyons pleaded guilty in front of a three-judge panel on Monday, who then deliberated before accepting the plea. Lyons will be sentenced on Tuesday.

Police found the body of 42-year-old marriage counselor Tonya Hunter-Lyons in the garage of her Walden Avenue home. Prosecutors said Maurice Lyons stabbed her 17 times on July 25.

He also stole her car and credit cards, before driving away with young son, according to Cuyahoga County prosecutors. The boy was later dropped in the middle of the street near East 28th Street and Cedar Road in Cleveland.

Prosecutors said Maurice Lyons assaulted his wife and told her not to call police on July 13 and the violence continued in the days leading up to her death.

Hunter-Lyons was the founder of the Bedford Heights marriage and family counseling service, Success 1. She counseled troubled marriages and families.