citizen_sleuth
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Thomas "Tom" Strussion and Angela Strussion (credit: Robert A. DeFrank/Wheeling News-Register)
At around 7 a.m. on September 21, 2021, first responders were called to the scene of a house fire on Trails End Drive in Belmont, Ohio. Sandwiched between U.S. 40 West to the north and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway to the south, Trails End Drive is a quaint residential road containing only a handful of homes situated on generous plots roughly 10 minutes outside the Village of Belmont, Ohio.
After extinguishing the fire, officials discovered the bodies of Thomas "Tom" Strussion, 52, and his wife Angela Strussion, 48, amongst the charred remnants of the home they shared. A few days later, Belmont County Sheriff David Lucas announced that the death of the couple was classified as a double homicide.
A Bellaire, Ohio native, Tom was the owner of two Salsa Joe's restaurants in Ohio and West Virginia. Although he had no formal culinary training, Tom had a passion for cooking which he inherited from his grandmother. He first dipped his toes into the restaurant business in the Fort Worth, Texas area years prior, where he catered through a business called Tommy Boy's BBQ. Tom later took over The Shed restaurant in Weatherford, Texas as he started developing plans to expand Tommy Boy's BBQ to other markets.
"He was wanting to expand [Tommy Boy's BBQ] to Mexico, he was really wanting to do things with it," a friend of Tom's told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 2021. Tom opened his first standalone restaurant, which he dubbed "Salsa Joe's Tex-Mex Smokehouse" at 1700 W. Park Row Drive in Arlington, Texas with the hope of expanding the business to other locations.
After the death of his mother, Tom reevaluated his plans of expanding his restaurant franchise into Mexico and decided instead to move home to the Ohio Valley with his wife Angela, who he married in October 2016, to be closer to family.
In the summer of 2020, Tom opened a Salsa Joe's on National Road in Belmont, OH. Despite initial hurdles, including pandemic-related supply chain issues and staffing challenges, Salsa Joe's was a success. "We've been open nearly two weeks and have had a lot more business than I thought this early," Tom told a local reporter following the soft opening.
Less than a year later, in May 2021, Tom opened a second Salsa Joe's location in Elm Grove, West Virginia with the support of his business partner, AG. Optimally located between The Highlands and downtown Wheeling, the Elm Grove location offered the same non-traditional Tex-Mex menu with a smattering of special menu items. Anticipating yet another smashing success, Tom was already planning to open a third location in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
Four months later, Tom's dreams of expanding Salsa Joe's came to a crashing halt as the couple's bodies, along with those of their three pets, were found in their Belmont home.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly took an unexpected about a week later, when authorities charged two people with extorting Tom. According to Assistant Prosecutor Chris Gagin, Miana Smith and Anthony Michael DiBacco blackmailed Tom after he allegedly had an affair with Smith in late 2020. From December 2020 to May 2021, prosecutors say Smith and DiBacco extorted a total of $25,000 from Tom. Both Smith and DiBacco pleaded guilty to extortion.
Gagin stated that Smith and DiBacco had "been eliminated as suspects in the murder" and explained that the extortion was being treated as a separate crime, unrelated to the Strussion double homicide. "At the moment, there are one or more persons of interest that the sheriff’s department is still running down," Gagin said. "Whether or not those persons of interest will become actual suspects, we’re not certain at this point, but the investigation is very much open and ongoing."
Another bizarre twist in the case came in June 2023, when Tom's business partner and co-owner of the Elm Grove location, AG, was reported missing in Oklahoma. Four months later, on October 8, authorities located AG at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, as he de-boarded a flight from Honduras. AG was arrested and taken to Leflore County, where he was facing charges of kidnapping and domestic violence. AG has never been named as a suspect in the Strussions' murders.
No suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly identified, although law enforcement officials continue to investigate the case. Belmont County Sheriff's Chief Detective Ryan Allar held a press conference on the one-year anniversary of the double homicide where he asked the public to come forward with information.
"We believe there are people who have information regarding the circumstances of Angela and Tom's deaths who have not yet spoken with law enforcement. Often people have information of value but do not come forward because of concerns that it may not be important," he said.
"You may have noticed unexplained injuries; a sudden departure from the area after the offense; the possession of new personal items or money; changes in mood, lifestyle patterns or appearance; or intense interest in or avoidance of this case. Regardless of how insignificant you think your information might be or whether you think we are aware of it, please contact us and allow us to make that determination.
"In some situations, people who have knowledge may not initially come forward due to close relationships with those who could be involved or a concern for their own safety or reputation. There may be times when people are unknowingly brought into a situation by the person or persons responsible. Relationships and loyalties can change, as do people and their perspectives; it is not too late to come forward," Allar said.
News Coverage
Michael Hughes, "Salsa Joe’s Has Something for Everyone," LEDE News, 8 July 2020.
Eric Ayers, "Salsa Joe’s Tex-Mex Smokehouse in Belmont Quickly Earning Fans," Wheeling News-Register, 31 July 2020.
"Salsa Joe’s Smokehouse cooks giant hamburger to benefit Toys for Tots," WTRF, 16 December 2020.
Eric Ayres, "Salsa Joe’s Tex-Mex Smokehouse Opens Tuesday in Wheeling," Wheeling News-Register, 22 May 2021.
Dan Mayeres, "Salsa Joe’s Tex-Mex Smokehouse opening in Wheeling," WTRF, 24 May 2021.
John Lynch, "Salsa Joe’s owner identified in Belmont County double murder," WTRF, 22 September 2021.
Jennifer Compston-Stought, "Autopsies completed in double murder investigation in Belmont," Times Leader, 25 September 2021.
Carri Graham, "Bellaire duo arrested for extortion during double murder investigation," Times Leader, 28 September 2021.
Jessica Harkay, "Former North Texas restaurant owner, wife found dead in Ohio double homicide," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 October 2021.
D.K. Wright, "Bellaire couple allegedly demanded “a considerable amount of money” from Salsa Joe’s owner," WTRF, 20 October 2021.
John Lynch, "Belmont County couple threatened to expose a secret affair with former Salsa Joe’s owner; Asst. Prosecutor says," WTRF, 1 February 2022.
Robert A. DeFrank, "Woman Pleads Guilty To Extortion Of Man Who Was Murdered," Wheeling News-Register, 2 February 2022.
Steve Novotney, "Anniversary of Double Homicide Looms Over Belmont County," LEDE News, 17 September 2022.
John Lynch, "Belmont County officials provide update on double murder of Salsa Joe’s owner," WTRF, 21 September 2022.
Robert A. DeFrank, "Belmont County Double Murder Remains Unsolved After a Year," Wheeling News-Register, 22 September 2022.
D.K. Wright, "Murdered Ohio couple’s family takes next step in seeking justice," WTRF, 26 December 2022.
Baylee Martin, "Strussion home searched with high-tech equipment," WTRF, 14 January 2023.
Ed Diorio, "Assistance from outside agency aims to provide clarity in Strussion murder case," WTOV9, 14 January 2023.
Steven Moore, "Former restaurant business partner of Ohio double murder victims is missing, last seen in Oklahoma," WTRF, 11 July 2023.
Jessica Martin, "Former business partner of Belmont County double homicide victims missing," WTOV9, 12 July 2023.
Jennifer Compston-Strough, "Double homicide victims’ business partner reported missing in Oklahoma," Times Leader, 12 July 2023.
Steven Moore, "Former restaurant business partner of Ohio double murder victims has been found, arrested in Texas," WTRF, 10 October 2023.
"Former business partner of Strussions found," Times Leader, 11 October 2023.
Sylvia Corkill, "Missing Oklahoma man arrested while de-boarding international flight," News 9, 17 October 2023.
D.K. Wright, "Local double murder remains a mystery after more than two years," WTRF, 11 February 2024.
