Patrick Boergert, a 47-year-old White man from Barberton, Ohio, was known for his love of singing and his volunteer work at church. Born in Cleveland, he had lived in the Akron area for the five years preceding his death. He was a father to seven children and a grandfather to seven grandchildren.
On the night of February 23, 2024, Boergert was a passenger in a friend’s car at the Borders Drive Thru on South Arlington Street in Akron.
The drive-thru clerk, 17-year-old Tyler Bartley, reached through the back window of the vehicle and shot Boergert in the torso. Boergert’s friend immediately drove away to the 800 block of East Wilbeth Road and called 911 for help. Akron police officers arrived and administered first aid until emergency medical services transported Boergert to Summa Health Akron City Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The following day, police arrested Bartley at a residence on the 1000 block of South Arlington Street. Investigators recovered a handgun and other evidence at the scene of the arrest. Bartley was initially charged with felonious assault, but after the case was transferred to adult court, the charges were upgraded to include murder, felony murder, two counts of felonious assault with firearm specifications, and tampering with evidence.
On March 21, 2025, Bartley accepted a plea agreement in Summit County Common Pleas Court, pleading guilty to one count of murder with a firearm specification. The remaining charges were dismissed. During his sentencing on June 4, 2025, Bartley apologized to Boergert’s family, stating, “I know what I did was wrong and I hope one day they will be able to forgive me.” Boergert’s mother, Janet Velez, responded in court, “There’s two families that lost today...right now I can’t forgive him but that doesn’t mean I can’t do it in the future.”
The judge sentenced Tyler Bartley to life in prison. According to the court's decision in June 2025, he will be eligible for parole after serving 16 years.
