Former Lawyer Convicted of Attempted Murder for Trying to Kill Ex-Wife in Ohio Restaurant
Prosecutors stated that Exton attempted a public execution of his ex-wife at Sabira restaurant in downtown Toledo on April 11, 2025, before a waiter and patrons intervened.
Exton testified that he had worked as a prosecutor in Michigan and maintained a law license in Ohio, handling divorce, family, and bankruptcy cases before experiencing homelessness following his split from his wife.
Court records show the couple divorced in 2024. Exton testified that he grew frustrated with how his ex-wife handled aspects of their divorce. On April 11, 2025, as he left a restaurant next door, he saw his ex-wife and her family dining at Sabira during its opening night. Prosecutors established that Exton ordered a drink, had it sent to their table, and spat toward them before leaving.
He returned armed with a Colt Defender handgun. Surveillance video released by prosecutors showed Exton approaching the table and drawing the weapon from his pocket. His ex-wife stated in a petition for a protection order that the gun made rapid clicking noises as he pulled the trigger multiple times directly at her chest. The weapon failed to discharge because the safety mechanism remained engaged, though one round was in the chamber and seven were in the magazine.
Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney Julia Bates addressed the severity of the attack in a public statement. “Nothing in their training and soft openings at the restaurant could have prepared the staff for what walked through that door,” Bates said. “The defendant did not come with the intention of having a meal. He came with anger in him and with the intention to commit a public execution of his ex-wife at the restaurant that day.”
Quick action by restaurant staff prevented fatalities. A waiter tackled Exton immediately as his ex-wife yelled out a warning, halting the assault before Exton could disengage the safety. Multiple patrons joined the waiter to subdue the armed man until authorities arrived.
The jury found Exton guilty of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault, and associated firearm specifications, while acquitting him of one count of felonious assault. Following the initial April 2025 incident, the Ohio Supreme Court suspended Exton’s law license in May 2025. Exton is scheduled to be sentenced on September 21, 2026, facing significant prison time for the convicted charges.
