Lorain man to argue self-defense in 2025 Meister Road murder case

Documents filed Monday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court allege a Lorain man accused of killing a North Ridgeville man in a failed robbery and drug deal last summer did so in self-defense. Attorney Eddie Sipplen filed a one-page notice of his client Jomar Perez's intent to argue self-defense in the face of multiple murder, aggravated robbery, robbery, felonious assault and tampering with evidence charges. Perez, 22, is charged in the July 29 death of Robert Willis, 28. He was being held in the Lorain County Jail on $2 million bond. Sipple wrote that the self-defense argument is based on police reports, physical evidence, test results, body-worn camera footage and more that show Willis made Perez think he was pulling a gun. Evidence "indicates that the victim, while in the process of conducting an illegal drug deal that went bad, was the initial aggressor, who made furtive movements that he possessed a gun and was going to rob the defendant with a gun, which caused the defendant to fear for his life," he wrote. Sipplen wrote that Willis had bought fake drugs off a second suspect in the killing, Jacob T. Smith, in the past "and was hypersensitive and hyper (vigilant) about his safety" because of it. He wrote that Smith set up the drug deal but used Perez to complete it. Perez "was lawfully at the location of the shooting and pursuant to Ohio's Stand Your Ground Law had a right to defend himself," Sipplen wrote. The Prosecutor's Office disagrees, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Chris Pierre said Monday. "We believe that the evidence will show that he was not acting in self-defense," Pierre said. Messages seeking comment on Sipplen's filing were left for Smith's attorney, Jason Harless. The Lorain County Sheriff's Office said Perez shot and killed Willis after luring him to the drug deal at the Agudath B'nai Israel Synagogue on Meister Road in Lorain on July 29. Authorities said Willis, who had a history of drug use, thought he was going to buy $110 worth of cocaine. Instead, Perez botched the robbery and fatally shot Willis two times with a .380-caliber handgun, authorities said. Surveillance images of the gunman were released to the public, and the Prosecutor's Office said family and friends recognized Perez and identified him because of his distinctive look, clothing and tattoos. Perez allegedly tried to cover up the tattoos, get rid of evidence of the crime and got help to hide from authorities before being arrested a month after the shooting, according to the Prosecutor's Office. Smith, 24, of Eaton Township, also is charged with more than a dozen felonies in Willis' death including multiple counts of complicity to murder, complicity to aggravated robbery, complicity to felonious assault, complicity to robbery and one count of having weapons under disability. The cases against Perez and Smith are being heard in Judge Melissa Kobasher's courtroom. Sheriff's deputies investigated the case because Lorain police were preparing for Lorain Officer Phillip Wagner's funeral the next day. Smith was being held in the Lorain County Jail on more than $5 million bond in the Willis case and another in which Elyria police said he wounded another man in a drive-by shooting in Elyria in 2024. Smith pleaded not guilty to charges he shot the alleged victim, a 21-year-old man, outside Mr. Hero on Middle Avenue on April 16, 2024. The 12 felony charges in that incident include felonious assault, discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises, having weapons under disability, improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.