Crime & Safety

Facebook Murder-for-Hire Suspect Ruled Competent for Trial

Al Zombory's trial is scheduled for Jan. 31

A Beachwood man accused of trying to hire a hit on his ex-son-in-law has been declared competent to stand trial.

Al Zombory, 76, is scheduled to face trial Jan. 31, 2012.

Zombory’s attorney Mark Ziccarelli said that he wanted to courts to rule on whether his client could assist in his own defense, but declined to offer further information.

Find out what's happening in Beachwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Zombory has been held in Lake County Jail on a $500,000 bond since his June arrest on charges that he tried to pay an undercover police detective $50,000 to kill his ex-son-in-law.

His daughter, Christine Metter, is also awaiting trial in Lake County Jail on a $500,000 bond. Her trial is now scheduled for Jan. 9, 2012.

Find out what's happening in Beachwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Both Zombory and Metter were charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

Metter and Zombory are accused of offering money first to Metter's high school friend, and later to an undercover detective, to kill her ex-husband.

 said witness Patrick Sabo, a friend of Metter's from high school. He testified in an earlier hearing that when she complained about her ex in a Facebook chat, he jokingly suggested she put a hit on him. But she took him seriously, Sabo said, and her father later offered him $50,000 to do it.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Beachwood