Ohio attorney convicted of attempted murder after failed restaurant shooting
A Toledo lawyer was found guilty of attempted murder and related charges after a 2025 incident in which he tried to fire at his ex-wife in a crowded restaurant, but the gun failed to discharge.
A Toledo courtroom sentenced former attorney Matthew Exton, 43, to prison after a jury convicted him of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault and several firearm offenses. The verdict stems from an April 2025 incident at Sabira, a downtown restaurant, where Exton allegedly approached his ex-wife’s table, attempted to fire a handgun, and was stopped by staff and patrons.
According to Lucas County prosecutors, Exton entered the venue, sent a drink to his ex-wife’s table, spat toward her family and then returned with a firearm. He allegedly marched directly to the table and pulled the trigger, but the weapon did not fire because the safety remained engaged. The entire exchange was captured on video.
"Exton walked in that day with one goal in mind," the prosecutor said, describing the episode as an attempted "public execution."
A waiter tackled Exton, and several diners assisted before he could make another attempt. The Ohio Supreme Court suspended his law license the month after the incident. The conviction follows a trial that concluded earlier this month.