ASHLAND, Ohio — After no reported homicides in 2025, Ashland is starting the New Year off on a different note. Ashland Police are investigating a deadly shooting from Thursday afternoon.
24-year-old Robert Palermo is in custody at the Ashland County Jail in connection with the shooting death of 61-year-old John Grehn.
Police identified the suspect and victim Friday in a press release. According to detectives, a third man called 911 around 2 p.m. Thursday to report the shooting at a house on E Liberty St., near Jacobs St. When police and fire personnel responded, they found Grehn dead inside the home.
Robert Palermo, who police said also lives at the home, was taken into custody. He was charged with aggravated murder in Ashland County Common Pleas Court Friday. The court ordered him to be held in jail on a $2 million bond.
“It was just a shock that it happened because he was such a nice guy,” neighbor Jeffrey Howell said of Grehn.
He told News 5 he had gotten to know the neighbor while caring for his elderly parents in recent years and said the man known as “Lefty” had a fascinating background.
“His one arm, I guess, was blown off. He was a Green Beret. And he told me he was a Chicago PD, with them for a while. So he’s done some things,” Howell said.
He and other neighbors said they were surprised to hear of any violence in the typically quiet neighborhood.
“It’s a pretty good town, a good neighborhood,” said neighbor Tim Randles.
Incidents like the deadly New Year’s Day shooting are rare in Ashland. The police chief told News 5 there were zero homicides reported in all of 2025.
“Yeah, I feel pretty safe,” Randles said.
Police said the 911 caller inside the home during the shooting was not injured. Officers also found a dog inside the house. It was also unharmed and turned over to the Ashland County Humane Society.
Neighbors said they never heard gunfire or anything else that would indicate trouble inside the house. Howell said it’s a tragedy and a rare occurrence in Ashland.
“I didn’t even know nothing about it until my brother told me. Because it’s so quiet around here, you don’t hear [of] that stuff. Mansfield, you hear it, but you don’t hear it around here,” he said.
Ashland Police detectives said the incident is still under investigation. They emphasized that there are no outstanding safety concerns in the community.
