Cleveland condemns serial killer's home

CLEVELAND (AP) — The city has condemned the killing ground dubbed the "House of Horrors," a home where 11 women were murdered by a man who dumped their remains around his house and property.

The owner has until Oct. 2 to make repairs or face having the house demolished, mayoral press secretary Andrea Taylor said Friday in an email to The Associated Press.

The three-story frame house in an impoverished Cleveland neighborhood was the home of Anthony Sowell, who was convicted and sentenced to death last month for killing the 11 women, many of whom were living on the street and dealing with addiction problems.

Sowell, 52, is appealing his conviction.

The four-page "notice of violation" sent Wednesday lists 22 violations, including problems with the roof, plumbing, heating, electricity and water supply and roach, flea, termite and rodent infestations.

The owner, Virginia Oliver, Sowell's 89-year-old step-grandmother, said Friday she hadn't decided whether to make the repairs or allow the house to be razed.

The notice also was sent to the estate of Sowell's stepmother and a reverse mortgage company. A message seeking comment was left Friday for an attorney representing the company.

Sowell's half-brother, Allan Sowell, told The Plain Dealer it was "inevitable" that the house will come down.

The remains of the victims were found when police went to Sowell's house to investigate a sexual assault complaint in October 2009.