Daughter's fiance arrested in teacher's murder
Jeffrey Scullin Jr., 20, lived at victim’s residence
Jeffrey Scullin Jr.
Strongsville Police Chief Mark Fender announces the arrest of Jeffrey Scullin Jr. for the murder of Melinda Pleskovic, his fiance’s mother. Photo by ALLISON WOOD
Melinda J. Pleskovic
STRONGSVILLE – The soon-to-be son-in-law of Melinda Pleskovic, the longtime Strongsville City Schools teacher who was found dead in her home Oct. 23, was arrested and charged with aggravated murder Oct. 31.
Jeffery William Scullin Jr., 20, also resided in the Blazing Star Drive home where Pleskovic, 49, lived with her husband and family, Strongsville Police Chief Mark Fender said during a press briefing where he declined to answer questions as the case remains under investigation and police continue to seek additional information.
Fender said he wanted to assure city residents that Strongsville is a safe community and said releasing more details could hamper the police investigation.
“While no community is immune from isolated acts of violence, even as heinous as this case, this is a safe community ... You were as safe here today as you were a month ago,” Fender said.
Scullin was engaged to Pleskovic’s daughter Anna Pleskovic and they were supposed to be married Oct. 28. They have a young child together. His bond was set at $1 million.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that gunshot wounds and sharp-force injuries led to the Pleskovic’s death. According to the medical examiner’s report released Oct. 27, Pleskovic sustained “sharp-force injuries of the trunk with skeletal, vascular and visceral injuries.” Her death has since been ruled a homicide.
Pleskovic, 49, was found bleeding on the kitchen floor of her Blazing Star Drive home the evening of Oct. 23 by her husband Bruce Pleskovic and Scullin. The only other individual in the home at the time was the couple’s 18-year-old son, who has Down syndrome.
Bruce Pleskovic told police he heard from his wife around 4:30 p.m. that afternoon, at which time Melinda sent him a text message telling him to meet her at the Brew Kettle. That was the last time he heard from her.
During a 911 call to dispatchers approximately four hours later, Bruce Pleskovic alleged that his home had been the target of numerous break-ins, thefts and other suspicious activity for the past 10 months. He was unable to provide police with the names of any possible suspects in the case, but indicated that the activity occurred as recently as a week prior to his wife’s death.
“You know, we’ve asked people to check our freaking area,” Bruce Pleskovic said. “We’ve had people attempt to break in just this week. I don’t know what’s going on in this city. You people dropped the f----ing ball.”
Police records, which date back to January, show that a laptop had been stolen from one of the family’s cars; that someone tried to break into the home on at least one occasion; and that the family had once caught an adult and two teenagers hiding behind their house. Before her death, Melinda Pleskovic also reported that, after a set of car keys went missing, she occasionally found her car unlocked or the alarm sounding at random.
Jeffery William Scullin Jr., 20, also resided in the Blazing Star Drive home where Pleskovic, 49, lived with her husband and family, Strongsville Police Chief Mark Fender said during a press briefing where he declined to answer questions as the case remains under investigation and police continue to seek additional information.
Fender said he wanted to assure city residents that Strongsville is a safe community and said releasing more details could hamper the police investigation.
“While no community is immune from isolated acts of violence, even as heinous as this case, this is a safe community ... You were as safe here today as you were a month ago,” Fender said.
Scullin was engaged to Pleskovic’s daughter Anna Pleskovic and they were supposed to be married Oct. 28. They have a young child together. His bond was set at $1 million.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that gunshot wounds and sharp-force injuries led to the Pleskovic’s death. According to the medical examiner’s report released Oct. 27, Pleskovic sustained “sharp-force injuries of the trunk with skeletal, vascular and visceral injuries.” Her death has since been ruled a homicide.
Pleskovic, 49, was found bleeding on the kitchen floor of her Blazing Star Drive home the evening of Oct. 23 by her husband Bruce Pleskovic and Scullin. The only other individual in the home at the time was the couple’s 18-year-old son, who has Down syndrome.
Bruce Pleskovic told police he heard from his wife around 4:30 p.m. that afternoon, at which time Melinda sent him a text message telling him to meet her at the Brew Kettle. That was the last time he heard from her.
During a 911 call to dispatchers approximately four hours later, Bruce Pleskovic alleged that his home had been the target of numerous break-ins, thefts and other suspicious activity for the past 10 months. He was unable to provide police with the names of any possible suspects in the case, but indicated that the activity occurred as recently as a week prior to his wife’s death.
“You know, we’ve asked people to check our freaking area,” Bruce Pleskovic said. “We’ve had people attempt to break in just this week. I don’t know what’s going on in this city. You people dropped the f----ing ball.”
Police records, which date back to January, show that a laptop had been stolen from one of the family’s cars; that someone tried to break into the home on at least one occasion; and that the family had once caught an adult and two teenagers hiding behind their house. Before her death, Melinda Pleskovic also reported that, after a set of car keys went missing, she occasionally found her car unlocked or the alarm sounding at random.