Police reports say shooting victim feared for her life

Lisa Sahadi Ali, daughter of Alexander and Theresa Sahadi, is escorted to her parents home, the site of the fatal shooting.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Lisa Sahadi Ali, daughter of Alexander and Theresa Sahadi, is escorted to her parents home, the site of the fatal shooting.

Alexander Sahadi put a gun to the head of his wife, Theresa, and threatened to kill her and himself after a family argument in December.

But Mr. Sahadi, 79, a well-known local decorator, was never charged with domestic violence in that incident, authorities said yesterday.

On Wednesday night, Lucas County sheriff deputies said he shot and killed Mrs. Sahadi, 77, at the couple's Springfield Township residence before he shot and critically wounded himself.

Mrs. Sahadi died at the scene at 8715 West Bancroft St., despite the efforts of emergency personnel. Authorities said they found a black revolver underneath Mr. Sahadi's head.

Mr. Sahadi was transported by medical helicopter to Toledo Hospital, where he remained in critical condition last night.

Lt. Don Atkinson said county sheriff's deputies had been at the residence other times on domestic violence calls.

According to an incident report filed Jan. 20, Mrs. Sahadi told deputies she lived in fear of her husband after being repeatedly attacked and threatened.

Lieutenant Atkinson said Mrs. Sahadi was advised to file domestic violence charges but apparently never did. He said he was investigating what deputies did with the case.

Sgt. Andrea Luna of the sheriff's department domestic violence unit said she remembered talking to Mrs. Sahadi after she filed the January report and encouraged her to file criminal charges in Sylvania Municipal Court.

Robert Pyzik, Sylvania city prosecutor, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Dean Mandross, criminal division chief in the county prosecutor's office, said yesterday that he knew of no indictments against Mr. Sahadi and didn't know that any had ever been filed.

The January incident report stated that deputies were called to the Sahadi's home about 1:15 p.m. on Jan. 20.

That's when Mrs. Sahadi told deputies that in December, Mr. Sahadi held a small caliber handgun to her cheek after an argument.

She said he then sat in a bedroom chair and said he would kill her and himself if she said a word.

Earlier in January, she reported Mr. Sahadi threatened her with a kitchen knife. Mrs. Sahadi told deputies she didn't report this and other incidents involving her husband because she feared for her life.

Mrs. Sahadi did tell deputies she wanted a protection order against her husband and she was advised where to file charges against him, the report stated.

Mark Woodruff, a detective in the sheriff's department, said Mrs. Sahadi was shot three times Wednesday night, once in the left shoulder area, the left temple, and the right hand.

Mr. Woodruff said Mr. Sahadi suffered a gunshot wound through the mouth.

He said the couple's daughter, Lisa Ali, and their infant granddaughter left the home just before the shooting.

Ms. Ali told investigators that she and her mother had been shopping before arriving at the West Bancroft Street home about 8 p.m. Mr. Sahadi began yelling at them and hitting the vehicle with either a stick or pole, she reported.

A neighbor said he walked outside to see Mr. and Mrs. Sahadi fighting in the yard. Ms. Ali said her father went into the residence and returned with a handgun and fired three to four rounds in the air.

Ms. Ali said her father ordered her to leave and that he would not harm her mother if she did that.

The report said that shortly after Ms. Ali left, Mr. Sahadi shot his wife and reloaded the handgun before shooting himself.

Mr. Woodruff said detectives believe it was Mrs. Sahadi who set off the panic alarm after the shooting while a neighbor who heard the shooting contacted 911.

Lieutenant Atkinson said the sheriff's department remained in control of the residence yesterday as it continued its investigation. Yellow crime scene tape was placed at the home's entrance off West Bancroft yesterday.

Mr. Sahadi started Sahadi Interiors 45 years ago; the business is currently at 6641 Sylvania Ave. He is best known for his home decorations but has done other work such as helping with the remodeling of the foyer at St. James Holiness Church of God in Christ.

A total of 1,247 women and 440 men were killed in domestic violence incidents nationwide in 2000, the most recent year for which figures were available from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The number of Lucas County residents killed or injured by domestic violence is not known because those figures are not separately compiled. Gathering that information to prepare a database of all domestic violence-related deaths that occur in the county is one of the tasks of a domestic violence task force whose formation was announced in May.

The Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee will work to create strategies to reduce domestic violence-related deaths in the county.

It will bring together representatives from county and Toledo city departments and agencies - including the sheriff's office and Toledo police - as well as the University of Toledo and various community organizations.

The University of Toledo college of law will serve as the clearinghouse for the information gathered.

Law instructor Gabrielle Davis said the purpose of the study is to help officials understand the trends and risk factors involved in domestic violence.

Contact Clyde Hughes at:

chughes@theblade.com

or 419-724-6095.