New Franklin man pleads guilty to shooting, killing man riding on motorcycle after dispute

A 41-year-old New Franklin man pleaded guilty Tuesday to shooting and killing 53-year-old Jeffrey Fisher in Sept. 2022.

Eric Mendoza pleaded guilty to one count of murder and a gun specification, which carries additional prison time, the Summit County Prosecutor's Office reported in a news release.

In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dismissed one count of murder and improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation or school safety zone, according to court documents.

The incident occurred in September 2022 after a verbal dispute. Mendoza shot and killed Fisher as Fisher drove away on his motorcycle. He was leaving Mendoza's home on Dailey Road in New Franklin.

Summit County Common Pleas Judge Joy Malek Oldfield will sentence Mendoza at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9.

Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: New Franklin man pleads guilty to shooting, killing man riding on motorcycle after dispute