Lawyer Caught on Camera Trying to Kill Ex-Wife Gets His Sentence

A disbarred Ohio attorney who pointed a loaded handgun at his ex-wife inside a crowded restaurant has been sentenced to as much as 24 years in prison. A waiter tackled him before he could fire.

Matthew Exton, 43, was sentenced Monday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court after a jury convicted him of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault. The charges stemmed from the confrontation at Sabira restaurant in downtown Toledo.

The incident occurred on April 11, 2025, as Exton’s former wife, Kayda Valone, celebrated the restaurant’s opening with members of her family.

According to prosecutors, Exton had been drinking at the nearby Souk restaurant when he noticed Valone and her relatives at Sabira. He briefly entered the restaurant, ordered a drink for their table and then left.

He returned moments later, this time armed with a Colt Defender handgun.

Exton walked up to the table and raised the weapon toward his former wife. Prosecutors said he tried to fire at close range, but the handgun did not discharge because its safety was engaged.

Instead of retreating, Exton began working with the weapon in an apparent effort to make it fire.

Waiter Tracy Cole Jr. then rushed in and tackled Exton, knocking him to the floor. Other diners helped hold him down until police arrived.

The firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber and seven additional rounds in the magazine, prosecutors said.

Exton later acknowledged in court that he had pointed the gun at Valone, but denied intending to kill her.

After firing his attorney, Exton asked to postpone the hearing. Judge Cook denied the request and moved forward with sentencing.

‘I did not try to kill my ex-wife and I did not try to hurt her or her family. I kept the safety on; it was my choice,’ Exton said.

Testifying on his own behalf, Exton said he had intended only to frighten Valone into speeding up the sale of their former home so he could collect his share of the proceeds. He argued that the conduct amounted to no more than misdemeanor menacing.

Prosecutors rejected that explanation, maintaining that Exton’s conduct showed an effort to kill Valone. They pointed to surveillance footage, which they said clearly demonstrated his intent.

‘This is the reason we are here,’ the judge said while replaying more than a minute of video. The footage showed Exton entering the restaurant, aiming the gun at Valone, pulling it back and then reaching for it with his other hand after it apparently failed to fire.

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‘That is the most chilling moment,’ Judge Cook said. ‘You are flummoxed by why the gun didn’t go off, and you are trying to fix the safety.’

The jury convicted Exton of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault, although he was acquitted of another felonious assault charge, stating that a mass casualty event was avoided that day.  

‘He nearly perpetrated a mass casualty event in the middle of a crowded restaurant. … He had no regard for anyone or anything other than himself,’ prosecutor Mike Loisel declared, according to a live feed of the proceedings.

However, the jury acquitted Exton for the attempted murder of Charles Valone, his former father-in-law, who testified at trial that Exton never pointed the gun at him.

Yet Judge Cook’s sentence included nine years for first-degree attempted murder, five years for the second-degree felonious assault charge relating to Ms. Valone’s mother Jeanne Valone, and six years for the firearm specifications attached to those two counts.

However, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections could extend Exton’s incarceration by up to 4 and a half years if he violates prison rules. 

The trial was itself punctuated by several confrontations between Exton and the court. 

‘This defendant is dangerous, psychotic, narcissistic, and a criminal,’ Loisel said, who called for a maximum 25 year sentence, remarking that the only thing preventing a mass shooting was Exton’s failure to release his gun’s safety when he first aimed it.

Exton retorted ‘Liar’ several times as Mr. Loisel said the defendant had ‘no regard for the law, no regard for this court, only for himself.’

Along with his request for time to obtain new counsel, Exton said he wanted to talk with the case’s detective about filing attempted murder and felonious assault charges against Tracy Cole, Jr, the Sabira waiter who tackled him next to the Valones’ table after he pointed his gun at his ex-wife. Although Judge Cook said he would not hold up the hearing for that purpose.

During closing arguments, Judge Gary Cook ordered him removed from the courtroom after he repeatedly interrupted the proceedings. Exton was then forced to watch the remainder of the arguments remotely from a holding area.

Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates issued a statement praising the teamwork of Mike Loisel, chief of special prosecutions, and assistant prosecutors Rose Mock and Mark Petiya in their handling of the case.

‘We hope today’s sentence provides some sense of closure for the victims seated at the table and the Sabira employees and patrons whose lives were put at risk that evening,’ Mrs. Bates’ statement said. ‘Even Judge Gary Cook acknowledged the trauma the restaurant employees experienced and the bravery they showed.’

Exton cited ineffective counsel and numerous sections of the US Constitution as appellate claims he plans to pursue.