Staff report
Miami Township police are still hoping to solve a homicide that occurred just over a year ago and are asking anyone with information about the case to come forward.
The homicide involving Miami Township resident Paul Leiter occurred around 8 p.m. Feb. 11, 2013 when Leiter was shot to death through a window of his home at 419 Pinebluff Drive.
Police have been investigating the shooting since it was reported.
According to the Sergeant Al Fatute with Miami Township Police Department, police believe the victim was shot by someone standing outside the house.
Investigators and technicians with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation worked at the crime scene for 33 hours taking photographs and collecting forensic evidence.
“We’ve worked with a number of criminal justice agencies to help us with the investigation,” Fatute, who is leading the investigation, said. “We want to be careful not to rush the investigation and to make certain that we’re being as thorough as we can.”
Police considered several persons of interest to the case, many of whom were investigated by Leiter’s wife in her capacity as a compliance specialist with the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
“There was some concern this shooting may have been related to her employment, so it was necessary that we interview and verify the activities before, during and after the shooting of those who she had investigated,” Fatute said.
He said the painstaking process revealed no evidence to suggest the shooting had anything to do with her employment.
In addition, police executed a search warrant at Michael Krusling’s residence near Bethel Feb. 15, 2013.
Krusling had been investigated by Leiter’s wife years earlier and passed away the day after the search warrant was issued.
While Fatute said the death sparked a flurry of rumors and led some to believe that police had confirmed Krusling as the shooter, he said that information was false.
“Although we did investigate Mr. Krusling’s activities, just as we did with many others, our investigation concluded that Mr. Krusling was not the shooter and is no longer even a person of interest in this case,” Fatute said.
Fatute said anyone with information about the shooting should contact the Miami Township Police Department at (513) 248-3721, Clermont County Communications Center at (513) 732-2231, or Crime Stoppers at (888) 352-3040.
“We would very much like to hear from anyone who may have information that can help us,” Fatute said. “In other cases we’ve investigated we’ve found that people sometimes have information that they don’t think is significant, so they withhold it. In some cases that information can be the key to solving a crime.”
Fatute said callers can remain anonymous with Crime Stoppers.
“The family has offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter,” Fatute said.
Fatute said based on what police know, there is no reason for other residents in the neighborhood to fear for their safety.
“We do not believe this was a random act, and it does not appear to have been caused by stray bullets from recreational shooters nearby,” Fatute said. “This appears to be an intentional act.”