Facebook Murder-for-Hire Trials Delayed

Trials for the Beachwood father and daughter defendants in the Facebook murder-for-hire case have been delayed.

According to court documents, Al Zombory, 76, filed a motion for a competency hearing in Lake County Common Pleas Court Monday. His attorney Mark Zicarelli said that the intent is to ensure that Zombory is “able to assist his attorney in his own defense.” Ziccarelli would not comment further on the matter.

Zombory’s daughter Christine Metter, 41, was granted a trial continuance and permission to meet with a doctor Oct. 13. Court records do not indicate the reason for the visit and her attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for further information.

Her jury trial is now set for Nov. 28.

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.

Both Zombory and Metter were charged with conspiracy to commit murder and have been in Lake County Jail since their June 3 arrests on $500,000 cash bonds.

Zombory’s competency hearing is set for Dec. 5 at 8:30 a.m. in Lake County Common Pleas Court. A new jury trial date has not been set.

If he is deemed incompetent to stand trial, the presiding judge could order that Zombory undergo psychiatric treatment.