Deborah Saenz, a 32-year-old woman, tragically died on July 12, 2019, in Columbus, OH. She was killed by her boyfriend, Marcos Solis III, who shot her the day after police responded to a domestic violence call at their home. Saenz had called 911 on July 11, 2019, reporting that she had been beaten and that Solis, a convicted felon, had guns despite being prohibited from owning them.
Unfortunately, the police did not make an arrest or confiscate the firearms at that time.
The next morning, Solis called 911 and admitted to shooting Saenz. She was taken to the hospital but later succumbed to her injuries. Solis was arrested and charged with her murder. However, in a plea deal, he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and possessing a weapon under disability, leading to a sentence of 20 years in prison.
Saenz's family filed a lawsuit against five Columbus police officers, a 911 dispatcher, and the city of Columbus, alleging mishandling of the domestic violence call. The lawsuit claimed that the officers failed to take appropriate action, which could have prevented Saenz's death. The family later dropped the city from the lawsuit but continued to pursue the case against the remaining defendants.
The tragic death of Deborah Saenz highlights the importance of proper police response in domestic violence situations and the devastating consequences when such responses fall short.
