Twelve years after Cleveland Clinic nurse Aliza Sherman, 53, was brutally stabbed to death in broad daylight, the attorney representing her in a divorce case has been indicted for her death.
According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, 51-year-old Gregory Moore is charged with one count of aggravated murder, one count of conspiracy, six counts of murder and two counts of kidnapping.
Sherman, a mother of four, was killed in the middle of the day in Downtown Cleveland on March 24, 2013, near Moore's office.
According to the secret indictment, which was made public after Moore's arrest, he allegedly lured Sherman to where he worked, saying that he needed to meet with her, but didn't intend to meet with her at all.
The indictment states this was part of a plan that was hatched months earlier to kidnap her to avoid having her try her divorce case in court.
As Sherman waited for someone to unlock the doors at Moore's office building, "an individual who was either Moore or an unknown co-conspirator" approached Sherman on East 12th Street, circled behind her, chased her, and then stabbed her more than 10 times, the indictment said.
Moore also allegedly disconnected his phone from the cell network for three hours around the time of Sherman's death in an attempt to avoid creating cell tower location evidence. He later turned his phone back on and made several calls to Sherman's phone to cover his tracks, according to the indictment. He then got a new phone a few days after her death.
“The Sherman family has waited over a decade for answers regarding their mother’s homicide," said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. "Through the tenacious work of multiple law enforcement agencies, evidence was accumulated that paints the unmistakable picture that Gregory Moore orchestrated and participated in the brutal murder of Aliza Sherman."
You can read Moore's indictment below:
The U.S. Marshals arrested Moore earlier this afternoon at a relative's house outside Austin, Texas, according to U.S. Marshal Pete Elliot. He was taken into custody without incident.
Here in Northeast Ohio, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Crime Scene Unit descended on Moore's home in Sagamore Hills to execute a search warrant.
Moore is expected to be brought back to Cuyahoga County to face a judge in the next week or so.
“The successful conclusion of this case highlights the coordinated efforts between the FBI, local law enforcement, and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office and serves as an important reminder of our commitment to the relentless pursuit of justice for victims and their families,” said Cleveland Office of the FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen.
The announcement of Moore's arrest is a day Sherman's friends and family have been waiting for. News 5 Anchor Rob Powers spoke to Sherman's friend, Maria Zoul, about the update in the case. Watch the interview below:
Back in 2023, Powers spoke to Sherman's daughter, Jennifer, about her mother's death and finding her voice with a new podcast.
RELATED: 10 years after mother's murder, Aliza Sherman's daughter finds her voice with new podcast
Back in 2021, Cleveland Police requested the assistance of Ohio BCI to help with the case.
“Since receiving the request in June of 2021 to lead the Aliza Sherman cold case investigation, BCI’s agents have spent thousands of hours applying advanced technology and implementing investigative techniques to help solve this homicide,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “BCI is grateful for the family’s trust, patience, and confidence in our investigation that led to today’s indictment and arrest.”
Prior arrest and sentencing
The prosecutor's office previously said a police investigation revealed that on the day Sherman was killed, Moore sent text messages to her cell phone just before and after her death. Those messages indicated that Moore was in his office, but phone records, analysis, additional records and witness statements show he was not in the building.
Moore then made false statements to Cleveland police homicide detectives when questioned about his whereabouts, according to authorities.
In 2017, Moore was sentenced for inducing panic and lying to police who were investigating Sherman's death.
Moore pleaded guilty to inducing panic and falsification in connection with bomb threats called in to the Geauga County Courthouse in January 2012 and the Lake County Courthouse in May 2012, and the Cuyahoga County Courthouse in July 2012.
He was sentenced to 180 days in jail, 36 months of community control, and 150 hours of court work service
RELATED: Aliza Sherman's divorce lawyer, Greg Moore, sentenced for inducing panic and falsification
