Shooting death ruled homicide
By TOM GIAMBRONI
LISBON - The 2008 shooting death of Sherry L. Ieropoli has officially been ruled a homicide, allowing the prosecutor's office to proceed with the case.
Columbiana County Coroner Dr. William Graham Jr. issued the ruling on Sept. 17 after finally receiving the results of tests he requested be performed.
Mrs. Ieropoli, 47, of state Route 45, Lisbon, was shot to death at her home on Aug. 24, 2008. Investigators said last year that two shots were fired, and a .22-caliber rifle kept at the house and found at the scene is believed to have been used.
County Prosecutor Robert Herron said previously the only people home at the time besides Mrs. Ieropoli were her husband and son, and all indications pointed to the son being involved in the shooting. He also said the witness statements given to investigators and the evidence gathered at the scene didn't quite match.
Dr. Graham held off issuing a final ruling in the death pending the outcome of the autopsy and battery of other medical and forensic tests that were ordered. He said it took the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office about six months to issue a final autopsy report. Based on the autopsy results, Graham said he sent some evidence to the state crime lab for further examination, and it took another six months to get those test results.
Herron said they had been in a holding pattern until Graham issued his ruling.
"Obviously, we can't move forward without that finding from the coroner."
A homicide is simply one human being killing another. It is up to the prosecutor's office to determine the charge to be sought against the shooter when the case is presented to the county grand jury, and Herron declined to provide any timetable on when that would happen, although he said it would be sooner rather than later.
tgiambroni@mojonews.com
1 comment:
I hope he is being accurate when he says sooner rather than later...i guess we will see
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