Ohio woman was at a restaurant opening with her family. Then her ex-husband walked in to carry out a ‘public execution’

A former attorney has been convicted of attempted murder after officials in Ohio stated he tried to carry out the “public execution” of his ex-wife in a Toledo restaurant last year. The incident, which took place on April 11, 2025, ended with the assailant being tackled by a waiter before he could successfully discharge his firearm.

According to reporting by NBC News, WTOL, and WMGT, Matthew Exton, 43, faced a trial that concluded last week. The Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Exton was convicted of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault, with sentencing enhancements linked to all three charges. Exton was acquitted of one additional count of assault and is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

Per the outlet, Exton was at a restaurant next door to Sabira, which was hosting its opening night celebration. Prosecutors noted that Exton ordered a drink and had it delivered to the table where his ex-wife was dining with her family. After spitting toward their table, Exton left the building, only to return shortly after with a Colt Defender handgun. Surveillance footage captured the moment he approached the table and pulled the weapon from his pocket.

A split-second decision

According to NBC News, the victim later told authorities that Exton pointed the gun at her chest and pulled the trigger multiple times. In a statement included in a protection order filed two days after the incident, she wrote, “The gun made rapid ‘click’ noises as he pulled the trigger.” Fortunately, the weapon failed to fire because the safety was engaged. The firearm contained one round in the chamber and seven in the magazine.

WMGT reported that after the failed shooting, the victim yelled “gun.” Then a waiter named Tracy Cole Jr. rushed toward Exton and tackled him from behind, preventing him from making any further attempts to fire the weapon. Cole later spoke about the high-stakes encounter, stating, “The only thing that went through my mind was that I’m gonna die.” 

Despite receiving praise for his quick thinking, Cole remains humble about his actions. “It’s hard when I watch the video and I see him pull the trigger,” Cole reportedly said. “It’s just hard to see that and know that it 110% could have gone a completely different way.”

According to NBC, during the trial, Exton testified that he had previously worked as a prosecutor in Michigan and was licensed to practice law in Ohio, having handled divorce, family, and bankruptcy cases. He claimed he became homeless following his divorce from his wife in 2024. 

During his testimony, Exton reportedly denied attempting to shoot her, asserting that he only pointed the gun to show he was serious about her following a court order. “I did not fire,” he said. “I did not hurt her. I did not try to hurt her.” 

He also testified that he was frustrated regarding how she had handled aspects of their divorce, specifically citing a desire for money from the sale of their home. Recently, a Wisconsin widower was arrested on suspicion of murder after his wife went missing and her ring showed up on his girlfriend’s hand.

Per WTOL, Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney Julia Bates addressed the severity of the incident in a statement following the conviction. “Nothing in their training and soft openings at the restaurant could have prepared the staff for what walked through that door,” Bates said. “The defendant did not come with the intention of having a meal. He came with anger in him and with the intention to commit a public execution of his ex-wife at the restaurant that day.”

The surveillance video of the incident was subsequently shared on Reddit by the user HomeNowWTF, where it garnered significant attention and discussion in the interestingasf*ck subreddit. One user observed, “The article says that he had no intention of pulling the trigger, he just wanted to threaten her? He clearly tried to pull the trigger immediately and then started to check the gun because it didn’t fire. What a st*pid defense.” 

Another user praised the waiter’s intervention, noting, “10/10 customer service.” Others echoed the sentiment regarding the waiter’s bravery, with one user stating, “Tracy Cole Jr. Is a hero. He could have easily ran the other way but he chose to risk his life and went after the guy.” Another person who was recently hailed a hero by Reddit was a race driver, Loek Hartog, after he saved the life of another driver at the China GT.

Reflecting on the near-tragedy, other users added, “Holy cr*p how lucky to have the weapon malfunction point blank,” and “She is officially the luckiest person on earth at that moment.”