Richard Lee Altomare Sr., a 59-year-old businessman, was found murdered on September 19, 1999, in Columbiana, Ohio. He was discovered inside the Old Crestview Middle School, a property that he owned, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The incident occurred around 11:00 a.m., and the Columbiana County Coroner determined the cause of death as homicide. Altomare was also the owner of Altomare Welding Inc., a company located in Leetonia, Ohio.
The property where he was killed was being managed as a potential rental, and he was reportedly there to meet someone at the time of the attack.
The investigation into Altomare’s death has been challenging, with no arrests or suspects formally charged as of yet. Over the years, Columbiana County authorities have continued to pursue leads. The local prosecutor’s office called nearly 20 people to testify before grand juries, indicating that there were several potential directions the investigation could take. However, it was mentioned that the killing may have involved more than one person, and the motive was speculated to be rooted in greed. The authorities have stated that they do have a suspect but are not solely focusing on that individual, suggesting the possibility of a broader conspiracy behind the crime.
The handling of the case has faced criticism, especially from Altomare's family. In August 2000, Altomare’s son, Richard Jr., called for the prosecutor, Robert Herron, to step aside, alleging a failure to properly pursue key pieces of evidence. The family also filed a lawsuit seeking access to the investigative records, arguing that some of them could be public information. Despite the challenges, local law enforcement and prosecutors have maintained that they are determined to solve the case, although progress has been slow. The community and the Altomare family continue to seek justice, as the investigation remains active with hopes that new information may eventually bring those responsible to account.
