GUILTY OH - Melinda Pleskovic, 49, murdered in her Strongsville home, 23 Oct 2017

[Betty P]

According to the news reports about the autopsy results the ME said "gunshot wounds" so it means she was shot more than once. I wonder if investigators found shell casings. They should have.

Stabbing and shooting is interesting. Stabbing is usually an act of anger. Maybe the gunshots were to make sure she was dead.

 

[Tillicum]

According to the news reports about the autopsy results the ME said "gunshot wounds" so it means she was shot more than once. I wonder if investigators found shell casings. They should have.

It's possible for one shot to cause more than one wound though. Entry and exit wound and sometimes through a limb and into the trunk. Sorry if that's too graphic, I've been wondering how many shots also.

 

[Tillicum]

I bet whoever the teenagers are who were pranking the house are scared to death they'll be blamed.

 

[bluesneakers]

I bet whoever the teenagers are who were pranking the house are scared to death they'll be blamed.

They must be terrified. I wonder if any of them will come forward.

 

[LietKynes]

Mods: Am I allowed to link to Ursula Franco, MD and criminologist?
She has done an analysis of the 911 call.
Technically its a "blog",
so I am going to assume NO!
I just happened to see it when searching for Melinda on twitter.
Very interesting stuff!



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RSBM

Found it. Very interesting.

Poor Melinda !!!!!! Whatever happened -- she did not deserve such cruelty !

Imo, it's nearly impossible to imagine a stranger coming in to burglarize --gettting inturrupted by Melinda-- killoing her and leaving the kids alone.
And how would an intruder know the son was non-verbal ? He might at the very least be able to run for help --and a random criminal wouldn't know that.
It bothers me to think what he might have witnessed. The one year old wouldn't necessarily know what was happening--- but I'm guessing that 18 year old Down's son may have been close to his mom.
:moo:

 

[Tillicum]

Can anyone remember if the dispatchers on either the husband's and/or SIL's 911 calls asked if the kids were okay? I can't remember and would rather not listen to them again

 

[Lilibet]

Can anyone remember if the dispatchers on either the husband's and/or SIL's 911 calls asked if the kids were okay? I can't remember and would rather not listen to them again

I just listened and the husband told her they were outside with his son-in-law. I couldn’t quite understand the question, but it had to do with his son AFAIK.

The SIL volunteered that he quickly took the son and his daughter outside before the dispatcher asked. I guess she assumed they were OK. I’m not sure that she asked specifically but she may have. I don’t want to listen again either.

 

[Pamela_Brewer]

Can anyone remember if the dispatchers on either the husband's and/or SIL's 911 calls asked if the kids were okay? I can't remember and would rather not listen to them again

The SIL said he was removing the baby, maybe both IIRC.
MOO

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[BoggLed in Ohio]

I've been following this case since the news first broke and I also definitely felt the husband seemed very strange and his actions and words ..and the more I learn the more it reminds me very much so of this case here ..and they did a couple shows on ID about it. I honestly wonder if the husband watched that episode and took notes

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/millionaire-father-plotted-death-family-5029992

 

[andalso]

Wait....so a wiffle ball bat prevented crazy murderer person from entering the household?

Like, a plastic wiffle ball bat? not a baseball bat....but a wiffle ball bat....ummm. okay???

There was also an attempted burglary at the home last week.

The report said an unknown man tried to enter the home by forcing open the back door, the report says.

The door was cracked open but someone in the house placed a wiffle ball bat in the sliding door track to prevent someone from opening it. The man ran through an open field behind the home, the report says.

http://www.cleveland.com/strongsville/index.ssf/2017/10/records_show_attempted_break-i.html

While there is a lot to be questioned in this case, I am amazed (skeptical) a plastic toy bat would prevent a psycho murderer from entering a household to kill someone.

Sad for the daughter, who was due to be married today, will instead have to attend her mothers funeral instead. Seems very cruel.

Amazed at how fast the obituary came out and how quickly the funeral was planned.

I don't imagine it will be long before an arrest happens in this case.

 

[BrownRice]

Wait....so a wiffle ball bat prevented crazy murderer person from entering the household? Like, a plastic wiffle ball bat? not a baseball bat....but a wiffle ball bat....ummm. okay?

I read that to mean the bat was placed laying down in the track to prevent the door from being opened (an extra means of protection with the door locked already). I have a piece of wood in mine (like a yard stick).

This entire case is odd. Sure, it seems very likely it's the husband (it always it - usually). But, it doesn't make sense. First, why would he do it the week of his daughter's wedding? Why not just wait a week? And then with their special needs son. Eliminating his wife would just mean extra work for him taking care of the boy.

 

[Pamela_Brewer]

Wait....so a wiffle ball bat prevented crazy murderer person from entering the household?

Like, a plastic wiffle ball bat? not a baseball bat....but a wiffle ball bat....ummm. okay???



http://www.cleveland.com/strongsville/index.ssf/2017/10/records_show_attempted_break-i.html

While there is a lot to be questioned in this case, I am amazed (skeptical) a plastic toy bat would prevent a psycho murderer from entering a household to kill someone.

Sad for the daughter, who was due to be married today, will instead have to attend her mothers funeral instead. Seems very cruel.

Amazed at how fast the obituary came out and how quickly the funeral was planned.

I don't imagine it will be long before an arrest happens in this case.

I thought the pit bull scared him too?
moo

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[ATasteOfHoney]

2 questions....

1. Where was the Pitbull the night of the murder? At the home?
2. Did the investigators check all family members’ hands for gun residue?

 

[ts51]

Just speculation...moo...but the husband does seem suspect. Maybe he has no intention of taking caare of the boy. He's getting older, looking at retirement, the other kids are grown, maybe his wife was the advocate for their special needs son and with her out of the picture he can place him somewhere? Sounds terrible, I know, but if he was tired of the responsibility of caring for his son, can't get rid of the son with the wife around, so get rid of the wife. Hope this makes sense.

I read that to mean the bat was placed laying down in the track to prevent the door from being opened (an extra means of protection with the door locked already). I have a piece of wood in mine (like a yard stick).

This entire case is odd. Sure, it seems very likely it's the husband (it always it - usually). But, it doesn't make sense. First, why would he do it the week of his daughter's wedding? Why not just wait a week? And then with their special needs son. Eliminating his wife would just mean extra work for him taking care of the boy.

 

[BrownRice]

Just speculation...moo...but the husband does seem suspect. Maybe he has no intention of taking caare of the boy. He's getting older, looking at retirement, the other kids are grown, maybe his wife was the advocate for their special needs son and with her out of the picture he can place him somewhere? Sounds terrible, I know, but if he was tired of the responsibility of caring for his son, can't get rid of the son with the wife around, so get rid of the wife. Hope this makes sense.

Oh dear. That's a horrible thought about the son that never crossed my mind.

 

[BrownRice]

I found it odd Melinda's obituary asks for monetary donations to be made at a local bank. I'm sure being a teacher provides her with life insurance (which can be used for funeral expenses). Maybe for the son's upcoming care? But you'd think they would have planned for that (esp with husband working in the financial field).

 

[andalso]

I read that to mean the bat was placed laying down in the track to prevent the door from being opened (an extra means of protection with the door locked already). I have a piece of wood in mine (like a yard stick).

This entire case is odd. Sure, it seems very likely it's the husband (it always it - usually). But, it doesn't make sense. First, why would he do it the week of his daughter's wedding? Why not just wait a week? And then with their special needs son. Eliminating his wife would just mean extra work for him taking care of the boy.

I agree that it is implied the bat was placed in the track like you said. However, I am reluctant to believe a hollow piece of plastic would act as a stick would to prevent the door from being opened. Perhaps I am wrong. I don't suppose you have a wiffle ball bat lying around and could try it in your door? I just imagine someone who really wanted to get in would be able to surpass that obstacle.

I don't think we are allowed to sleuth the husband (yet), but my hinky meter is setting off blaring alarms with him!!

 

[andalso]

2 questions....

1. Where was the Pitbull the night of the murder? At the home?
2. Did the investigators check all family members’ hands for gun residue?

1) I recall on the *son in laws 911 call that the operator was asking him if they had a dog...as they had calls about a dog loose in the neighborhood. Guess I will have to listen to his call again, but I am not quite wanting to start my day listening to that now! IIRC, I thought they mentioned a black lab.
*Note: I am keeping in mind that the son in law is not in fact a son in law yet...would have been so officially today if he was attending his wedding instead of a funeral. (Thinking....thinking...is that a significant point in anyway? Did someone not want him/her married?)

Didn't I also hear somewhere that the pit bull was still a puppy? Don't take that as fact though, cause I don't remember where I read it.

2) I sure hope all were checked for gun residue.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

In the 911 call, the husband simply does not sound interested in saving Melinda whatsoever. Just a plain "No" when the dispatcher asks he perform CPR. Very strange and unusual, IMO.

His primary -and seemingly only- objective in making the 911 call is to

1. Establish "co-witnesses," so as to make himself appear less suspicious (i.e., he wasn't the only one there when he came home and found his wife murdered);

2. Bring more attention to what had been happening prior to Melinda's murder to, once again, bring attention away from himself as a suspect. Very well planned, IMO.

All of this is my opinion only. Prayers to Melinda and her loved ones, especially her youngest son ....

 

[BrownRice]

Did they have an alarm?

I believe he referenced a camera being messed with, but I don't recall reading about an alarm. You'd think if there was so much going on at their house, they could install something.