Derrick Schneider, 41, of Whitehall, Ohio, was fatally shot in the head at a Motel 6 on Stringtown Road in Grove City on May 20, 2020. The shooting occurred around 10 p.m. after Schneider intervened in a loud argument coming from a neighboring room the night before. The suspect, Robert A.

Perez III, 20, of Columbus, was arrested the following morning after hiding in the 2000 block of Winslow Drive. Perez admitted to the shooting, saying he mistook Schneider for an armed man he had seen earlier that day, and investigators reported Perez had been under the influence of the prescription sedative Xanax at the time. Court filings state Perez later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life with no chance of parole for 15 years; he reportedly expressed remorse after realizing he had shot an innocent man.

Anyone who knew Schneider or witnessed the events at the motel is asked to come forward with information.