The cold case death of Tony Lombardi - Westerville, Ohio - August 30, 1990
On August 30, 1990, homemaker and mother Cheryl Lombardi made a shocking discovery when she entered her son Tony's bedroom around 12:45 a.m. The 22-year-old lay dead in his bed, and it was clear that his death was not from natural causes. He had been killed by a firearm.
Police arrived at the Westerville, Ohio residence within half an hour and found a .38 caliber automatic pistol on the bedroom floor. One caliber shell was found in his bed. When it turned out that Tony's car was no longer in the garage, a crime was assumed. The perpetrator had probably fled with his car after shooting the boy.
However, when they found a drunk driving ticket in his pocket upon further investigation, the perspective changed dramatically.
It turned out that he had been arrested two days earlier for drunk driving, with his vehicle impounded by Columbus police in the process. There was a risk that Tony could face a possible revocation of his driver's license. The police suspected suicide from this point on. His family strongly disagreed.
About Tony Lombardi
Anthony 'Tony' Lombardi was born on December 26, 1967 in
Franklin County, Ohio. He was the son of Anthony Lombardi and Cheryl Marcum and lived in Westerville, Ohio. The 22-year-old worked shifts at a baby food factory in Columbus. Tony was apparently popular with the women, as at the time of his death he appeared to be dating no fewer than three women. According to his family, he was a cheerful young man who was very attached to his family.
Suspicious circumstances
Tony's family disagreed with the police, and absolutely did not believe that he committed suicide. His jaw appeared to be broken, he had bruises on his body, and there was an inch and a half cut above his left eye. The bruises on his chest, according to his family, were consistent with someone else holding him down before his death. In addition, his watch was broken on the floor, and his body was discovered naked. According to his family, Tony would never have wanted anyone to find him naked. According to them, everything indicated that he had been in a fight with an unknown assailant.
Looking back, his mother recalled the fact that when she walked past his bedroom door around midnight, she could see that his light was off. Three quarters of an hour later she heard footsteps and went back to the hallway. When she went into Tony's room to find her son dead, the bedroom light was on. She believed the killer was still in the house when he got home, and had turned on the bedroom light before he left. Police said that Tony's mother never told them about the noises she later spoke of.
Threats made to Tony
In the week leading up to his death, Tony had been threatened several times, according to family and friends. According to a local resident, he allegedly got into a heated altercation with a driver of a white pickup when he reportedly cut it off. The driver had asked him where he lived, and Tony gave his address.
The same week, while listening to the voicemail, Tony's father heard the second threat. It came from a younger man who threatened Tony to come over with a gun if he didn't stay away from his girlfriend. Tony's best friend Andy had tried to mediate this escalation, but the unknown person allegedly said that Tony would get what was waiting for him.
Information and Tips
Despite a slew of questionable circumstances, including the apparent injuries, his naked body and threats against him, the police continue to treat the case as a suicide, much to the dismay of his family. They are sure that their beloved Tony was murdered by someone who is still on the street.
Do you know anything about Tony's death? Perhaps he had more disagreements with people? Did he ever say anything that stuck with you? Or do you know who is responsible for his death? Please let us know now. Don't hesitate and get in touch now (anonymously) using the form below.
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