DEATH PENALTY INDICTMENT FILED ON QUENTIN SMITH FOR AGGRAVATED MURDERS OF WESTERVILLE POLICE OFFICERS ANTHONY MORELLI AND ERIC JOERING
Posted on 3/23/2018
Defendant: Quentin Lamar Smith
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien joined with Westerville Chief of Police Joe Morbitzer announce today that, “Quentin Smith faces the death penalty for murdering two Westerville Police Officers, one was a 30-year veteran and the other a 16-year veteran of the Westerville Police Department.” The Franklin County Grand Jury has returned a six count death penalty indictment against Quentin Lamar Smith, age 31, in connection with the February 10th, 2018 Aggravated Murders of WPD Officers Anthony Morelli, age 54, and Eric Joering, age 39, that occurred at 312 Crosswind Drive in Westerville.
The counts in Smith’s indictment include two counts of Aggravated Murder with Death Penalty Specifications of Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer and a Course of Conduct involving the purposeful killing of two or more persons. Additional specifications include a 54 Month Firearm, and 126 Month Firearm and Repeat Violent Offender Specifications, two counts of lesser offenses of Murder with the same specifications and one count of Domestic Violence, as well as one count of Having Weapons While Under Disability. The wife of the defendant is the Domestic Violence victim. The crimes occurred on February 10th when officers were responding to a 911 hang-up call. “Smith produced a handgun and pointed the gun at the officers. Both officers drew their firearms and shots were exchanged,” O’Brien stated. Officer Joering died at the scene. Officer Morelli was transported to the hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. “Officers Morelli and Joering were extremely dedicated officers and their deaths are a tremendous loss to the Westerville community and beyond,” O’Brien further stated. Arraignment for this death penalty case is set for Wednesday, March 28th, 2018, at 1:30 pm in courtroom 2B at 345 South High Street in downtown Columbus.