An Ohio divorce attorney has been arrested for allegedly murdering a client in 2013 to avoid trying her case in court.
Aliza Sherman, 53, was waiting outside Gregory Moore’s downtown Cleveland office when she was fatally stabbed on March 24 of that year. Moore, 51, was the woman’s attorney.
Though security footage at the time caught a hooded man running from the scene, police didn’t make an arrest until Friday, when Moore was indicted on one count of aggravated murder, one count of conspiracy, six counts of murder and two counts of kidnapping.
Moore does not have an attorney assigned to his case, court records show.
An indictment obtained by NBC News states Moore texted Sherman on the day she was killed and told her to meet him at his office at 4.30 p.m. and to let him know when she was leaving.
According to police information, Sherman waited outside the building as “Moore or an unnamed conspirator” approached her from behind and fatally stabbed her more than 10 times. Moore allegedly texted and called Sherman before and after her death.
“These texts and requests for calls were for the purpose of creating false evidence that Moore was unaware of Sherman’s assault,” the indictment states.
Moore allegedly killed Sherman to prevent her divorce trial from proceeding, according to the grand jury’s indictment.
The trial was supposed to start the following day.
Sherman, a nurse, left behind four children.
In addition to the murder, police said Moore was being investigated for bomb threats sent to the courthouse on days he had to appear in court, also to avoid proceedings he was involved with. The attorney reportedly knew cops were investigating him for the threats.
In 2017, he pleaded guilty to inducing panic and falsification for giving authorities misleading statements as they investigated Sherman’s death.
Moore is set to be arraigned at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center.
