Willie James Attaway, Murder, Ohio 2021

CINCINNATI, OH – A two-day terror spree across southwestern Ohio ended with the cold-blooded murder of a beloved store owner, and now, a guilty plea from the man responsible. Willie James Attaway, 32, of Cincinnati, admitted in federal court today to fatally shooting Roop C. Gupta, the owner of Madeira Beverage, during a robbery in February 2021. Attaway also confessed to committing or attempting four other armed robberies within a 24-hour period.

The carnage began on February 8, 2021, with Attaway targeting two Shell gas stations. At the first, located on S. Mason Montgomery Road in Deerfield Township, he brandished a firearm and emptied the cash registers. Later that night, at a second Shell on Dixie Highway in Hamilton, Ohio, Attaway escalated his threats, telling the clerk he “was not afraid to shoot” before stealing money. The next day, the violence turned deadly.

Roop Gupta, a fixture in the Madeira community, was confronted by Attaway at his store, Madeira Beverage on Kenwood Road. According to court documents, a struggle ensued, and Attaway fired a single shot into Gupta’s abdomen. Gupta was rushed to a local hospital, but the wound proved fatal. The senseless act left Gupta’s family and the community reeling. Attaway didn’t stop there.

Continuing his rampage on February 9th, Attaway robbed a Sunoco gas station in Blue Ash, again brandishing a firearm and demanding cash. He then attempted a final robbery at a Marathon station in Lebanon, Ohio. However, the clerk, displaying remarkable courage, feigned having a weapon of his own, prompting Attaway to flee empty-handed. The quick thinking likely saved another life, but did little to soothe the grief already spreading across the region.

Federal prosecutors have recommended a sentence of up to 45 years in prison for Attaway. U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker stated, “Gun violence is never ok, and is especially tragic when a life is lost…One shooting death is one too many.” ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge John Nokes added that the guilty plea was “a step in the right direction” for Gupta’s family, acknowledging the devastating loss they’ve endured.

A second defendant, Lamond Johnson, 37, remains charged in connection with the crimes. He faces all 14 counts of the original indictment, and his case is still pending. The investigation was a joint effort by the ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and multiple local law enforcement agencies, including the Madeira Police Department and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott will hand down the sentence at a later date.

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