A New Year’s Day disagreement inside an Ohio home escalated into deadly violence after a dispute between roommates over a dog being allowed indoors, according to authorities.
Robert Palermo, 24, has been charged with aggravated murder in the Jan. 1 shooting death of his roommate, 61-year-old John “Lefty” Grehn, inside a residence on East Liberty Street in Ashland, a city roughly 50 miles southwest of Akron.
The Ashland County Prosecutor’s Office said the shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. Thursday at a home in the 100 block of East Liberty Street. When officers arrived, Grehn was found dead inside the residence. Palermo was arrested shortly afterward.
According to reporting by The Ashland Source, the confrontation began when Palermo objected to Grehn’s dog being inside the house. Investigators say the verbal argument initially appeared to end. However, Palermo allegedly went upstairs, retrieved a firearm from a lock box, and then returned to confront Grehn again.
Prosecutors allege Palermo “reignited the argument” before shooting Grehn multiple times.
Both men lived in the home, which is owned by Palermo’s father. Authorities said the father — a longtime friend of Grehn — was the person who called 911 following the shooting.
In a statement, Ashland County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher R. Tunnell described the case as a devastating loss while emphasizing community safety.
“This case represents a profound and tragic loss of life, and our thoughts remain with Mr. Grehn’s family, friends, and all those who loved him as they begin to process this unimaginable loss,” Tunnell said. “Despite the terrible nature of this allegation, Ashland is and always will be a safe place to live and to raise a family. While the world sometimes comes to us in a regrettable fashion, our focus should be on the positive response of our safety services and not on the negative aspects of one human’s poor choices.”
Court records indicate Palermo has no prior criminal history. He is currently being held at the Ashland County Jail on a $2 million bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.
If convicted as charged, Palermo faces a potential sentence of life in prison.
