In a dramatic court case unfolding in Cleveland, a former Ohio divorce attorney has entered a plea of not guilty to the serious charges of aggravated murder and kidnapping. This case ties back to the brutal killing of one of his clients over ten years ago, in what prosecutors believe was a scheme to postpone her divorce trial. Gregory J. Moore, 51, now stands accused of the murder and conspiracy connected to the 2013 death of Aliza Sherman, who met a tragic end when she was stabbed over ten times.
Investigators discovered Sherman’s body on a sidewalk in downtown Cleveland, eerily close to the location where she was supposed to confer with Moore on her impending divorce. The meeting was planned for the day before her trial was set to commence. During the recent court proceedings, his defense team argued successfully for a $2 million bail, asserting that Moore does not pose a flight risk.
Moore’s past with law enforcement had already seen him serve time, as he had previously misled police in their ongoing investigation into Sherman’s death. Indicted earlier this month, Moore was arrested in Texas by U.S. marshals, where he had been visiting his ailing father. He was consequently brought back to Ohio following a waiver of extradition.
Court documents suggest a chilling plot where Moore allegedly intended to abduct Sherman as a means to delay her divorce proceedings. The indictment cites messages between Moore and Sherman, illustrating how he orchestrated her arrival at a supposedly locked office. After waiting over an hour, Sherman decided to head back to her vehicle. It was during this interval, as per the indictment, that Moore or an accomplice attacked Sherman, cornering and stabbing her multiple times.
Further in the indictment, it is noted that Moore accessed his office later that same day and engaged in deceptive communication with Sherman in an apparent effort to throw off investigators. Moore’s notoriety with law enforcement does not begin with Sherman’s murder, as back in 2017, he confessed to providing false information regarding his actions during the time of Sherman’s murder and calling bomb threats the previous year as a tactic to defer court proceedings. These actions resulted in the suspension of his legal license and his subsequent resignation in 2018, followed by a six-month jail sentence.
Sherman, whose age was 53 at the time of her death, was a dedicated mother of four and is remembered fondly as a cherished fertility nurse. Her tragic passing has not faded from community memory, with rallies and vigils held annually in her honor, ensuring that her legacy and the pursuit of justice continue to be commemorated.