TOLEDO (OH)
WTOL11 [Toledo, OH]
May 7, 2026
By Heather Schramm, Brian Dugger
Animated meeting ends with a 30-day pause on any vote on memorial near Fifth Third Field for church leader accused of interfering in 1980 murder investigation.
The Board of Honor voted Thursday to delay a decision on the removal of a local honorary street sign after members noted they have never previously rescinded an honor.
The board will now meet in about 30 days to consider the request to remove the “Monsignor Jerome Schmit Way” sign located near Fifth Third Field in downtown Toledo.
The delay follows testimony from Lee Pahl, the nephew of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl, and Claudia Vercellotti of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Pahl and Vercellotti argue the sign should be removed because Monsignor Schmit allegedly helped the Catholic Church obstruct the 1980 investigation into Sister Margaret Ann’s murder.
According to the 11 Investigates documentary, “Her Name Was Sister Margaret Ann,” Schmit interrupted an interrogation of Father Gerald Robinson days after the murder and left the police station with him.
While detectives later testified that Robinson was their only suspect, the initial investigation effectively ended shortly after that encounter.
Robinson was eventually convicted of the murder in May 2006.
But Schmit also had his defenders, including an attorney from the Toledo Diocese who read a statement touting Schmit’s accomplishments and years of service to the church and community.
A member of former Assistant Chief Ray Vetter’s family also spoke to defend the role of the chief in the investigation, saying that before he died, he lamented not being able to solve the murder. But Vetter arrived with Schmit to the interrogation of Robinson and allowed Robinson to leave with Schmit moments later.
City of Toledo attorney Steven Spitler noted that since its creation in 2023, the board had never been asked to rescind an honor. It was established to recommend honors. He encouraged the board to take a look at the original resolution that allowed for the sign to be erected outside of Fifth Third Field. And he also wanted clarification on how a 24-year-old resolution would be repealed.
Board chair Barbara Floyd was the only member to vote against tabling the proposal. She argued that there was no way the board could ever determine what happened in the interrogation room before Robinson was marched out. The church says the church leader was brought in to convince Robinson to tell the truth, not to end the investigation.
For Lee Pahl, he was disappointed there was no vote, but he was also happy to finally be heard about a sign that he says has caused his family pain for 24 years.
“It’s a positive thing. It’s the first time that we’ve been recognized or had the chance to present this to the city council or a board of the city council.”