Global InformationMurders of Eric Joering and Anthony Morelli information
 A memorial for officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering outside the Westerville Police Department in February 2018 | |
| Date | February 10, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Location | Westerville, Ohio |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Convicted | Quentin Smith |
| Convictions | Aggravated murder & domestic violence |
| Sentence | Life in prison without parole |
Eric Joering and Anthony "Tony" Morelli were police officers who were murdered on February 10, 2018, in Westerville, Ohio after responding to a domestic violence incident.[1][2] Joering, 39, and Morelli, 54, were shot and killed by Quentin Smith, who had punched and choked his wife,[3] leading to her making a 9-1-1 hangup call.[4] When the police officers arrived, Smith shot Joering three times in both of his arms and in his head. Morelli was shot once in the chest with the bullet going through his heart and lungs.[5][6]
Joering, who had been a police officer for 16 years in Westerville, died at the scene,[4] while Morelli, who had been a police officer for 30 years,[7] died later in the hospital.[8] Smith, who was 30 at the time and who was prohibited from having a gun,[9] was shot five times but survived.[10]
Smith had an extensive criminal history involving burglary, intimidation, aggravated menacing, domestic violence, and felonious assault.[11] He was tried in October 2019,[12] and convicted for the murders on November 1, 2019.[13] For perhaps the first time in Ohio, family members of the victims gave victim impact statements to the jury during the sentencing phase of a capital case.[14] The jury recommended that Smith be sentenced to life in prison although some members of the jury reported that their fellow jurors refused to consider the death penalty.[15]
The murders garnered a significant response, with both Governor John Kasich and President Donald Trump commenting on them.[16] Both victims have been remembered in several ways, including by having part of a highway named after them,[17] and by having their cruiser doors displayed in Washington D.C. as part of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial for National Police Week.[18]
- ^ "Two Police Officers Killed in Ohio While Responding to 911 Call". Wall Street Journal. Associated Press. February 11, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ WSYX/WTTE (October 28, 2019). "Trial for man accused of killing Westerville officers could begin Monday". WTTE. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Futty, John. "Wife of Quentin Smith testifies about shootings of Westerville officers". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ a b Mays, Jeffery C. (February 10, 2018). "Two Ohio Police Officers Killed Responding to 911 Hangup Call, Officials Say". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Mayhew, Chris. "Coroner report details gunshot wounds that killed Westerville officers Morelli and Joering". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Perry, Kimball. "Autopsies: Westerville police officers killed by shots to head, torso". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "City Reporter | Westerville Magazine Jan/Feb 2019". CityScene Magazine. December 30, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Bailey, Chelsea (February 11, 2018). "Two Ohio police officers shot, killed responding to 911 hang-up call". NBC News. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Bruner, Bethany; Balmert, Jessie. "Westerville suspect will face death penalty, prosecutor says". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "Man convicted of killing 2 suburban Ohio police officers". www.wymt.com. Associated Press. November 2, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Kovac, Marc. "Suspect is felon with violent past". ThisWeek Community News. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "Trial of Quentin Smith". NBC4 WCMH-TV. October 29, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Futty, John. "Quentin Smith convicted of killing Westerville police officers". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Hart, Ted (November 4, 2019). "Officers' widows testify at Quentin Smith sentencing". NBC4 WCMH-TV.
- ^ McEntyre, Glenn (November 7, 2019). ""Justice was not served": Quentin Smith jurors express frustration, disgust over verdict". WBNS-10TV Columbus, Ohio | Columbus News, Weather & Sports. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Grinberg, Emanuella; Hartung, Kaylee; Said, Samira (February 10, 2018). "Wife of Ohio police shooting suspect said he previously threatened to kill her". CNN. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ King, Andrew. "Section of I-270 designated as 'Officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering Memorial Highway'". ThisWeek Community News. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Wynn, Sarah (May 12, 2019). "Fallen Westerville Officers Joering and Morelli honored in D.C. for National Police Week". WTTE. Retrieved January 21, 2020.