Ohio Lawyer Matthew Exton Convicted of Attempted Murder of Ex-Wife - News Directory 3

Ohio Lawyer Matthew Exton Convicted of Attempted Murder of Ex-Wife

September 10, 2026 Ahmed Hassan World
News Context
At a glance
  • Nothing in their training and soft openings at the restaurant could have prepared the staff for what walked through that door.
Original source: 247newsaroundtheworld.com
Former Ohio attorney Matthew Exton was convicted of attempted murder on September 4, after attempting to shoot his ex-wife at a Toledo restaurant on April 11, 2025, according to the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office. A Lucas County jury found Exton, 43, guilty of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault with firearm specifications. Prosecutors stated that a waiter and patrons tackled him before the gun could fire.

Restaurant Attack and Arrest Details

The incident unfolded at Sabira restaurant in Toledo, Ohio, according to statements from Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney Julia R. Bates. Exton initially ordered a drink at a bar inside an adjacent restaurant where his ex-wife and her family were seated, according to the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office. He then entered Sabira, sent a drink to their table, and spat toward them while walking out, authorities reported. Exton later returned to the establishment with a firearm and walked directly toward his ex-wife’s table, according to the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office and Yahoo. Prosecutors stated that Exton pointed a loaded weapon and pulled the trigger, but the firearm failed to discharge because the safety was still engaged, as reported by Yahoo. An arrest warrant cited by PEOPLE noted that the weapon contained one round in the chamber and seven in the magazine. Court records and investigative filings obtained by NBC News indicate that the victim stated the gun made rapid clicking noises as Exton pulled the trigger. Before Exton could manipulate the safety to make a second attempt, a waiter and multiple patrons intervened and tackled him to the ground, according to Yahoo and WBTV.

Legal Proceedings and Defense Testimony

During the trial in Lucas County, Exton testified in his own defense and denied attempting to shoot his ex-wife. According to NBC News, Exton stated on the stand, “I did not fire…I did not hurt her. I did not try to hurt her.” He testified that he felt frustrated by the handling of their 2024 divorce and claimed he became homeless following their separation despite his work as a prosecutor in Michigan and a lawyer in Ohio. The jury ultimately acquitted Exton on one remaining count of felonious assault while convicting him of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault, and multiple firearm specifications. The Ohio Supreme Court previously suspended Exton’s law license in May 2025 following the arrest, according to The Independent and Yahoo. Exton maintained law offices in Sylvania and Traverse City prior to the suspension, per WTVG/Gray News.

Prosecutorial Response and Sentencing

Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney Julia R. Bates issued a statement following the verdict praising the staff and patrons who stopped the attack. Bates stated, according to Yahoo:

Nothing in their training and soft openings at the restaurant could have prepared the staff for what walked through that door. 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.

Ohio Lawyer Matthew Exton Convicted of Attempted Murder of Ex-Wife
Photo: yahoo.com
Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney Julia R. Bates Bates also praised the individuals who intervened, describing the employees and patrons who stepped in as heroes, according to Yahoo. Exton is scheduled to appear for sentencing on September 21, and faces up to 25 years in prison, according to the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office.

Keep reading

, , , , ,