Youngstown State University alumna Stacey Sutera was murdered outside her Canfield apartment just off Fairgrounds Boulevard on Wednesday morning.
Police Chief Chuck Colucci told the Vindicator that authorities said she was shot multiple times entering her vehicle. Police suspect Robert McLaughlin of Painseville, who was charged with aggravated murder on Wednesday.
WYTV reported that witnesses believe McLaughlin was waiting for Sutera to leave for work that morning. Neighbors heard multiple gunshots. Sutera reportedly attempted to drive away, hitting other cars in the process.
Sutera graduated summa cum laude from the Beeghly College of Education in 2008 with a bachelor of science in education. She was an employee of Mahoning County Career and Technical Center and worked at Columbiana High School from 2009 to 2010.
McLaughlin, 64, served time for stalking Sutera last year and has several other felony charges.
McLaughlin pleaded guilty to charges of telephone harassment, three counts of pandering obscenity and three counts of possessing criminal tools, a felony charge, in 2010.
Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court sentenced McLaughlin to refrain from verbally or physically contacting the alleged victim. McLaughlin was also ordered to stay out of Mahoning County and remain in Lake County, according to the court documents.
McLaughlin pleaded guilty to menacing by stalking in December 2010 in Canfield and was sentenced to six months in jail.
McLaughlin is also involved in an open civil suit with the victim.
In an affidavit filed in that case, Sutera alleged that McLaughlin published websites accusing her of having an affair with one of her students, and being an alcoholic, promiscuous and infected with sexually transmitted diseases.
She also alleged that McLaughlin sent the contents of those websites to schools, public residences and business establishments in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
The dispute, scheduled for a judgment hearing in March, will remain unresolved after Sutera’s death.
McLaughlin was charged with the aggravated murder of Sutera on Wednesday. An arrest warrant, filed with the Mahoning County Clerk of Courts, reported McLaughlin is ex-military, armed and dangerous. No arrests were made as of 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Her current and former co-workers at MCCTC and Columbiana High school mourn for her family.