Crime & Safety
UPDATE Facebook Murder-for-Hire Suspect Denied Bond Reduction
Judge does not detail denial of motion to reduce outright payment from $500,000 to $25,000
The Beachwood woman accused of initiating a murder-for-hire scheme via Facebook has been denied a motion to reduce her bond.
Christine Metter, 40, has been in Lake County Jail since her June 2 arrest on a $500,000 cash bond on charges that she and her father tried to pay her high school friend, Patrick Sabo, $50,000 to kill her ex-husband.
The motion, made July 13, was denied July 18 by Judge Vincent Culotta. Culotta's ruling does not detail why it was not well-taken.
Find out what's happening in Beachwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The July 13 motion asks for a change that would have reduced the money Metter would pay outright from $500,000 to $25,000. Metter does not have a criminal record and has strong family ties in Northeast Ohio, the motion argues, and so she qualifies for a smaller bond.
According to the filing, Metter will stay with family friends in Chardon if she is released.
Find out what's happening in Beachwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Both Metter and her father, Al Zombory, 76, also of Beachwood, were charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated murder. Zombory’s bond was also set at $500,000 cash.
Neither cases have been heard by a grand jury.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.