Inset: Robert Palermo (Ashland County Jail). Background: Home in Ashland, Ohio, where Palermo allegedly shot his roommate to death (Google Maps).
A New Year”s Day fight between two roommates over a dog being allowed to stay inside the house led to a fatal shooting in Ohio, cops say.
Robert Palermo, 24, stands accused of aggravated murder in the Jan. 1 shooting death of 61-year-old John “Lefty” Grehn in Ashland, which is about 50 miles southwest of Akron.
The Ashland County Prosecutor’s Office said in a press release that the shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. Thursday at a home in the 100 block of East Liberty Street. Cops found Grehn dead inside the home and arrested Palermo not long after. The Ashland Source reported that an argument began when Palermo took issue with Grehn’s dog being inside the home.
After the verbal spat was seemingly over, Palermo went upstairs and grabbed a gun from a lock box before he “reignited the argument.” Palermo allegedly shot Grehn multiple times. The two lived in the home, which is owned by Palermo’s father. It was the father who reportedly called 911 after the shooting. Grehn and Palermo’s father were longtime friends.
“This case represents a profound and tragic loss of life, and our thoughts remain with Mr. Grehn’s family, friends, and all those who loved him as they begin to process this unimaginable loss,” Prosecuting Attorney Christopher R. Tunnell said in a statement. “Despite the terrible nature of this allegation, Ashland is and always will be a safe place to live and to raise a family. While the world sometimes comes to us in a regrettable fashion, our focus should be on the positive response of our safety services and not on the negative aspects of one human’s poor choices.”
Prosecutors say Palermo has no prior criminal history. He remains at the Ashland County Jail on a $2 million bond. His next court date is scheduled for Tuesday. If he is convicted as charged, Palermo faces life in prison.
