Columbiana Counties New Cold Case Task Force

This press release from the Columbiana County Prosecutor's Office made me so happy! I have known Detective Dave Talbert for years and honestly believe that there is no one better suited for this task. He has supported myself, the families, and CCFHV since 2006 in everything we have tried to do. He is NOT a politician. He is a Detective that understands more than most what it is like to be a family member of an unsolved murder. 

I expressed believing he should be involved with Vito before the election as did others and was so happy to hear he accepted the position. 

I have met with Troy Walker but do not know him well. He did strike me as someone very capable and definitely interested in solving these cases for both the families and the community. I am really excited about this! I believe if there is any hope at all of solving these cases, this task force, along with the new detectives at the Sheriff Department, will do everything within their power to get the job done. 

As ALWAYS.... if you know anything about any of our cases, please reach out to the Task Force. 

(Press release and photo are from the Columbiana County Prosecutor's Facebook page). 

Columbiana County, Ohio Prosecutor's Office

March 25 at 3:34 PM  · 

This marks an unprecedented investment in cold case investigations in Columbiana County. See below for full press release details.

March 25, 2022 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Today, Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito J. Abruzzino announces the creation of the Columbiana County Cold Case Task Force within the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and in direct coordination with the Columbiana County Major Crimes Task Force.

Leading the efforts of the task force will be Chief Investigator Troy Walker of the Prosecutor’s Office and Detective David Talbert of the Salem, Ohio Police Department. The task force will focus on unsolved Columbiana County homicides.

In working with local chiefs of police and the Sheriff over the last year, the Prosecutor’s Office developed a ranked list of cold case homicides, prioritizing those that have the most evidence available with the greatest promise of being resolved.

Recently, the Prosecutor’s Office successfully prosecuted the cold case of Melinda Todd, who was murdered in 2012. Kevin Kirby, now in prison for the murder, was sentenced to 20-years to life in that case.

“The Columbiana County Commissioners have resoundingly supported my vision for the office and the importance I place in solving cold cases. Without their unwavering support, such efforts would be impossible due to the high costs associated with investigating these types of cases. Special thanks are also in line for Salem Police Chief J.T. Panezott and Columbiana County Sheriff Brian McLaughlin who have agreed to support the efforts via their involvement with the Major Crimes Task Force.”

Those having any information regarding a past homicide in Columbiana County, please call our Prosecutor’s Office Tip Line at 330-420-1050. 

Suicide/Homicide in Columbiana County

 There has been a lot of speculation about this case. I am posting only what is available and has been released by the officials. 

This article appeared in the Evening Review. 

Suicide leads deputies to murder scene

LOCAL NEWS

FEB 22, 2022

DEANNE JOHNSON

newsroom@reviewonline.com

LISBON — The murder of a man in a home outside of Lisbon on Sunday and a suicide outside of East Palestine both remain under investigation by the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office Monday and may be linked to each other, as well as a murder from the past.

Both bodies have been sent for autopsy and names are not being released pending the confirmation of the coroner’s investigation.

Sheriff Brian McLaughlin said Monday deputies were notified first of the suicide, after a man found an abandoned vehicle down Jimtown Road in Unity Township and reported there was a dead man inside. A handgun believed responsible for the suicide was found there.

McLaughlin said the vehicle belonged to Nick Ieropoli.

When deputies responded to Ieropoli’s home at 10984 state Route 45, a second man was found deceased and that one is believed to have been a homicide.

McLaughlin declined at this time to further identify the two men found or provide the possible ages.

This was not the first time deputies have been called to that home outside of Lisbon. In August of 2008, deputies responded to the home for another homicide, the shooting death of Sherry Ieropoli. That case was never solved or at least never saw charges filed.

The murder of Sherry Ieropoli was on the short list of four homicides that former Sheriff Ray Stone said he was sending to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations in 2016, in hopes of solving them by getting someone else take another look at them. However, at the time BCI said the county could only send two and the two chosen were Melinda Todd and William S. Young Jr. The Todd investigation ended in the conviction of Kevin Kirby in October of 2021.

At the time of the murder of his mother, Jesse Ieropoli was 17 years old and investigators said the only people home were her husband Nicholas Ieropoli and her son, Jesse. During that initial investigation former county Prosecutor Robert Herron had said Sherry Ieropoli’s son was involved in her shooting.

McLaughlin said the sheriff’s office had recently set up a meeting with the Columbiana County Prosecutor’s Office of Vito Abruzzino about the Sherry Ieropoli murder. The two offices have been making an effort to take another look at some of the past unsolved murders in the county. McLaughlin said the purpose of that meeting was to “do a freshen up” on the evidence from the case and consider whether there was enough to proceed with prosecuting it.

djohnson@mojonews.com

 The Prosecutor and I have sat down several times discussing our unsolved cases. He told me when I met him for the first time that he would bring our cases to light and wanted me to know, personally, that he will not forget my family or any of the other families and will do his best to get some of these cases solved. So far, he has kept his promises where the cases are involved. 

This is the first of a series of ads he is running on Facebook for the month of the anniversary of each unsolved victims' passing. You can also check out the Prosecutor's Facebook page 

PLEASE!! If you have any information, call the Tip Line (you can remain anonymous) or the Police Department listed in each ad, and even if you have given the information to previous Detectives/Prosecutor's, etc., remember that we have all NEW people that may or may not have received your information so please call and give it to them again. 

SOMEBODY KNOWS SOMETHING about each and every one of our cases. 

Columbiana County, Ohio Prosecutor's Office

56m  · 

Today, January 14, we remember Mr. Irvin Keefer of Glenmoor who was murdered in an apparent robbery of his business on this date in 1976.

While decades have passed, this case is not "closed." Anyone with information regarding the homicide should contact St Clair Township Police at 330.385.3585 or our office's tip line at 330.420.1050.

Please keep Irvin and his family in your thoughts and prayers today.

(Photo courtesy of CCFHV)

Let's talk about human trafficking

 

I came across this site that I think you may find interesting. 

Human Trafficking is a booming industry but there are a lot of myth's associated with it. It is very real and in our communities, yes, even here in Columbiana County. It happens everywhere and it is important to understand the red flags if you believe someone may be a victim of trafficking. 

Truck drivers need to pay close attention and are often witnesses to another trucker engaged in trafficking. 

I was contacted by Jacob Bryant who worked very hard on this project to design information to keep people informed. Please check it out here.

                                                                                                  Photo credit (Trucking and Human Trafficking (lanierlawfirm.com). 

How to Report Human Trafficking if You Think You See It

If you see signs of human trafficking, you should never try to deal with it independently. Instead, report it by calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888. A single phone call can go a long way toward creating significant change for the victims of human trafficking. You can also visit the National Human Trafficking Hotline website to learn more about reporting signs of human trafficking at truck stops across the United States.

Try to collect what information you can about human traffickers, from their vehicle to their appearance. Do not, however, approach traffickers directly. You should not engage in commercial sex acts or other behaviors that could place you in danger, even to gather more information.

(photo credit) This blurb was taken directly from this site and there is much more information provided here if you are interested. Please check it out.