Ex-Ohio Attorney Convicted After Attempted Shooting of Ex-Wife at Toledo Restaurant

Matthew Exton, 43, a former Ohio attorney and local prosecutor, was convicted Sept. 4 of attempting to kill his ex-wife after prosecutors say he returned to a Toledo restaurant with a handgun and pulled the trigger while she was dining with her parents.

Incident Details

According to the Lucas County Prosecutor's Office, the episode began on April 11, 2025, when Exton, who had been at a nearby restaurant, spotted his ex-wife, Kada Malone, dining with her parents at Sabira. Court and surveillance records show Exton first entered Sabira, ordered a drink for the family's table and spat in their direction before leaving the premises.

Video reviewed at trial shows Exton quickly returning with a handgun. Prosecutors say he pressed the weapon to Malone's head and pulled the trigger as she raised her hands to shield herself. The gun did not discharge because its safety remained engaged, though authorities said a round was in the chamber and seven additional rounds were in the magazine.

A server at the restaurant tackled Exton from behind, preventing a second attempt, and employees and patrons helped restrain him until officers arrived.

Charges, Verdict and Sentence Hearing

Exton was found guilty on charges that included attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault (related to alleged assaults on Malone's parents, Jeannie and Charles Malone) and two firearm specifications linked to the charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 21, 2026.

"The defendant did not come with the intention of having a meal. He came with anger in him and with the intention to commit a public execution of his ex-wife at the restaurant that day," said Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney Julia R. Bates in a statement commending the employees and patrons who intervened.

Courtroom Conduct and Evidence

During closing arguments, prosecutors played a voicemail Exton left for Malone that referenced the Johnny Cash lyric "Sooner or later God will cut you down," which they cited as evidence of threatening intent and his state of mind. Exton reacted in court by loudly singing the lyrics as officers escorted him out and later made a gun-like gesture toward an assistant prosecutor; the judge instructed jurors to disregard that conduct when deliberating.

Source

This account is based on information from the Lucas County Prosecutor's Office and reporting from WTOL 11; FOX News also contributed to the original coverage. The story was filed from Los Angeles.