State v. Hoffmeyer

2026 Ohio 239

• Court: Ohio Court of Appeals
• Decided: January 28, 2026
• Docket: 31360
• Status: Published

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Hoffmeyer, 2026-Ohio-239.]

STATE OF OHIO ) IN THE COURT OF APPEALS )ss: NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COUNTY OF SUMMIT )

STATE OF OHIO C.A. No. 31360

Appellee

v. APPEAL FROM JUDGMENT ENTERED IN THE SAMUEL HOFFMEYER COURT OF COMMON PLEAS COUNTY OF SUMMIT, OHIO Appellant CASE No. CR-2023-11-3985

DECISION AND JOURNAL ENTRY

Dated: January 28, 2026

SUTTON, Judge.

{¶1} Defendant-Appellant Samuel Hoffmeyer appeals the judgment of the Summit

County Court of Common Pleas. For the reasons that follow, this Court affirms.

I.

Relevant Background Information

{¶2} This appeal arises from an incident between Mr. Hoffmeyer and L.R., his girlfriend

with whom he shared an apartment, at the Dairy Queen in Montrose. Mr. Hoffmeyer drove

backward through the drive-through and began yelling and cursing at a Dairy Queen employee for

preparing the wrong ice-cream parfait. A manager, D.F., came to the window to assist, and Mr.

Hoffmeyer attempted to throw the parfait at her. L.R. prevented Mr. Hoffmeyer from doing so

by getting between him and D.F., and Mr. Hoffmeyer grabbed L.R. by the head and attempted to

bash her face into the dashboard. L.R. broke free and jumped out of Mr. Hoffmeyer’s truck. L.R. 2

ran back to the Dairy Queen for help, and D.F. had already called the police. Both L.R. and D.F.

provided statements to the police regarding the incident.

{¶3} Mr. Hoffmeyer was charged with one count of domestic violence, in violation of

R.C. 2919.25, a felony of the fourth degree with a prior domestic violence conviction. Mr.

Hoffmeyer pleaded not guilty and a jury trial ensued. The jury found Mr. Hoffmeyer guilty of

domestic violence and the trial court sentenced him to an 18-month term of imprisonment.

{¶4} Mr. Hoffmeyer now appeals raising three assignments of error for our review. We

discuss Mr. Hoffmeyer’s assignments of error out of order to facilitate our analysis.

II.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR II

[MR.] HOFFMEYER’S CONVICTION IS NOT SUPPORTED BY SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.

{¶5} In his second assignment of error, Mr. Hoffmeyer argues his conviction for

domestic violence, pursuant to R.C. 2919.25(A), is not supported by sufficient evidence because

the State failed to prove Mr. Hoffmeyer and L.R. cohabited.

{¶6} R.C. 2919.25(A) states: “[n]o person shall knowingly cause or attempt to cause

physical harm to a family or household member.” In accordance with R.C. 2919.25(F):

(1) “Family or household member” means any of the following:

(a) Any of the following who is residing or has resided with the offender:

(i) A spouse, a person living as a spouse, or a former spouse of the offender[.]

... (2) “Person living as a spouse” means a person who is living or has lived with the offender in a common law marital relationship, who otherwise is cohabiting with the offender, or who otherwise has cohabited with the offender within five years prior to the date of the alleged commission of the act in question.

{¶7} In State v. Shelby, 2022-Ohio-4450, ¶ 5-6 (9th Dist.), this Court explained: 3

In State v. Williams, 79 Ohio St.3d 459 (1997), the Ohio Supreme Court wrote that “[t]he essential elements of ‘cohabitation’ are (1) sharing of familial or financial responsibilities and (2) consortium.” Id. at paragraph two of the syllabus. In State v. McGlothan, 138 Ohio St.3d 146, 2014-Ohio-85, however, it clarified that the sharing of familial or financial responsibilities and consortium is required only if the victim and the offender do not share the same residence. Id. at ¶ 13.

“The burden of [production for] establishing cohabitation is not substantial.” (Alteration sic.) State v. Long, 9th Dist. Summit No. 25249, 2011-Ohio-1050, ¶ 6, quoting Dyke v. Price, 2d Dist. Montgomery No. 18060, 2000 WL 1546555, *3 (Oct. 20, 2000). “[I]t is a person’s determination to share some measure of life’s responsibilities with another that creates cohabitation.” State v. Carswell, 114 Ohio St.3d 210, 2007-Ohio-3723, ¶ 35.

{¶8} Whether a conviction is supported by sufficient evidence is a question of law, which

we review de novo. State v. Thompkins, 78 Ohio St.3d 380, 386 (1997). In carrying out this

review, our “function . . . is to examine the evidence admitted at trial to determine whether such

evidence, if believed, would convince the average mind of the defendant’s guilt beyond a

reasonable doubt.” State v. Jenks, 61 Ohio St.3d 259 (1991), paragraph two of the syllabus. “The

relevant inquiry is whether, after viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution,

any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime proven beyond a

reasonable doubt.” Id.

{¶9} Here, L.R. testified, while waiting at a bus stop, Mr. Hoffmeyer stopped his car and

asked L.R. if she wanted a ride because it was raining outside. L.R. went with Mr. Hoffmeyer and

ended the night at a hotel where Mr. Hoffmeyer was staying. L.R. testified she and Mr. Hoffmeyer

were “sexually intimate” that night at the hotel. L.R. testified after Mr. Hoffmeyer dropped her

off at home, he texted and asked if she wanted him to come back and she said “[y]es.” L.R.

explained that Mr. Hoffmeyer had begun coming over and she would go to the hotel with him. In

a few days, however, Mr. Hoffmeyer moved in with L.R. at her apartment. 4

{¶10} L.R. testified she recalls going to Mr. Hoffmeyer’s storage unit, and “[h]e didn’t

really have a place to stay, so I let him stay with me.” L.R. indicated that Mr. Hoffmeyer stayed

with her every night and brought belongings from his storage locker such as a mattress, clothing,

and kitchen items. L.R. also testified “every day we would bring a little bit more back to my

house.” L.R. stated she and Mr. Hoffmeyer were in a romantic relationship. Additionally, L.R.

testified Mr. Hoffmeyer changed the locks on the front door, to which they shared a key, and

established residency by receiving mail from Jobs and Family Services at her address. L.R. also

testified Mr. Hoffmeyer introduced her to his mother as his “fiancée.”

{¶11} Viewing this evidence in a light most favorable to the State, a rational trier of fact

could have found the essential elements of domestic violence, including that L.R. and Mr.

Hoffmeyer cohabited together as a spouse, proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The State provided

sufficient evidence that, if believed, established every element of the domestic violence charge

against Mr. Hoffmeyer.

{¶12} Accordingly, Mr. Hoffmeyer’s second assignment of error is overruled.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR III

[MR.] HOFFMEYER’S CONVICTION IS AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.

{¶13} In his third assignment of error, Mr. Hoffmeyer argues his conviction for domestic

violence is against the manifest weight of the evidence. Specifically, Mr. Hoffmeyer argues a

verdict resting on L.R. and Mr. Hoffmeyer being “household or family” members is against the

manifest weight of the evidence.

{¶14} When considering a challenge to the manifest weight of the evidence, this Court is

required to consider the entire record, “weigh the evidence and all reasonable inferences, consider

the credibility of witnesses and determine whether, in resolving conflicts in the evidence, the trier 5

of fact clearly lost its way and created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the conviction

must be reversed and a new trial ordered.” State v. Otten, 33 Ohio App.3d 339, 340 (9th Dist.

1986). “When a court of appeals reverses a judgment of a trial court on the basis that the verdict

is against the weight of the evidence, the appellate court sits as a ‘thirteenth juror’ and disagrees

with the factfinder’s resolution of the conflicting testimony.” Thompkins at 387.

{¶15} “A reversal on this basis is reserved for the exceptional case in which the evidence

weighs heavily against the conviction.” State v. Croghan, 2019-Ohio-3970, ¶ 26 (9th Dist.).

“[W]e are mindful that the jury is free to believe all, part, or none of the testimony of each witness.”

(Internal quotations and citations omitted.) State v. Gannon, 2020-Ohio-3075, ¶ 20 (9th Dist.).

“This Court will not overturn a conviction on a manifest weight challenge only because the jury

found the testimony of certain witnesses to be credible.” Id., citing State v. Crowe, 2005-Ohio-

4082, ¶ 22 (9th Dist.).

{¶16} Here, as indicated above, the jury heard L.R.’s testimony regarding cohabiting with

Mr. Hoffmeyer prior to the assault. The jury heard L.R. testify that, prior to living with her at the

apartment, Mr. Hoffmeyer was staying at a hotel and had a storage unit. The jury also heard L.R.

testify that Mr. Hoffmeyer brought items from the storage unit such as a mattress, clothing, and

kitchen utensils to her apartment for their use. The jury, however, also heard Mr. Hoffmeyer’s

counsel’s cross-examination of L.R. regarding the length of her relationship with Mr. Hoffmeyer

and whether someone living in subsidized housing can legally have someone who is not on the

lease move in with them. Additionally, the jury heard the direct testimony and cross-examination

of Officer Michael Greissing of the Copley Township Police Department. Officer Greissing, on

both direct and cross-examination, testified regarding his investigation into whether L.R. and Mr.

Hoffmeyer were cohabiting, and he admitted that he did not check Mr. Hoffmeyer’s registered 6

address with Adult Parole Authority or the address associated with the registration of Mr.

Hoffmeyer’s vehicle to see if he was living at either of those addresses.

{¶17} As the trier of fact, the jury is tasked with the very difficult responsibility of

resolving conflicting testimony and evidence presented at trial. However, the jury’s resolution of

these types of discrepancies in favor of the State does not, in and of itself, invalidate a guilty

verdict. As stated above, this Court will not overturn a conviction on a manifest weight challenge

only because the jury found the testimony of certain witnesses to be credible. Based upon the

record before us, this Court cannot say that the jury clearly lost its way and created such a manifest

miscarriage of justice that the domestic violence conviction against Mr. Hoffmeyer must be

reversed and a new trial ordered.

{¶18} Accordingly, Mr. Hoffmeyer’s third assignment of error is overruled.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR I

[MR.] HOFFMEYER WAS DEPRIVED OF THE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL.

{¶19} In his first assignment of error, Mr. Hoffmeyer argues he was deprived of effective

assistance of counsel because his trial counsel: (1) failed to present L.R.’s statements to police, on

the day of the incident, that Mr. Hoffmeyer has been “staying” with her versus “technically living

there[;]” and (2) failed to adduce evidence of Mr. Hoffmeyer’s “registered” address with Adult

Parole Authority.

{¶20} As a threshold issue, the State argues Mr. Hoffmeyer is attempting to introduce

evidence of L.R.’s statements through a police body-camera video which was not made part of the

record because the full video was not played during trial and the full video was not sent back to

the jury. However, the full police body-camera video was made part of the record, as Exhibit 3A, 7

and this Court had the opportunity to review the police body-camera video in its entirety. As such,

we will address Mr. Hoffmeyer’s arguments on the merits.

{¶21} “[I]n Ohio, a properly licensed attorney is presumed competent.” State v. Gondor,

2006-Ohio-6679, ¶ 62. To prove ineffective assistance of counsel, Mr. Hoffmeyer must establish

both that: (1) his counsel’s performance was deficient, and (2) the deficient performance

prejudiced the defense. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687 (1984). Counsel’s

performance is deficient if it falls below an objective standard of reasonable representation. State

v. Bradley, 42 Ohio St.3d 136 (1989), paragraph two of the syllabus. To establish prejudice, “the

defendant must prove that there exists a reasonable probability that, were it not for counsel’s errors,

the result of the trial would have been different.” Id. at paragraph three of the syllabus. If a

defendant fails to prove one prong under Strickland, this Court need not address the other prong.

State v. Lortz, 2008-Ohio-3108, ¶ 34 (9th Dist.).

Police Body-Camera Video

{¶22} Here, the full police body-camera video reveals an initial police interview with

L.R., upon the police arriving on scene at the Dairy Queen, wherein she is extremely upset.

Further, the video reveals ongoing conversations between the police and L.R. regarding the

couples’ living situation, relationship, strategies for locating Mr. Hoffmeyer, and retrieving L.R.’s

purse, keys, and cellphone which she left in Mr. Hoffmeyer’s truck when she jumped out of the

vehicle, as well as discussions between the police officers about which charges to bring against

Mr. Hoffmeyer. In the video, L.R. reveals she and Mr. Hoffmeyer are in a relationship and have

been together two weeks. L.R. explains that Mr. Hoffmeyer has stayed with her, at her apartment,

for a full week. L.R. indicates Mr. Hoffmeyer was living at a hotel before staying at her apartment,

and that the only other place Mr. Hoffmeyer goes is a storage unit after she and Mr. Hoffmeyer 8

have a fight or disagreement about money. L.R. told police she and Mr. Hoffmeyer fight because

he says she does not make enough money, cook enough food, or keep the apartment clean. L.R.

also indicated that Mr. Hoffmeyer changed the locks on her apartment and she was supposed to

get the key back, but he still had the key. Although L.R. made some contradictory statements

regarding whether Mr. Hoffmeyer received mail at the apartment, and about the amount of clothing

Mr. Hoffmeyer had at the apartment, the majority of L.R.’s statements to police supported that she

and Mr. Hoffmeyer had been cohabiting, as spouses, in her apartment for at least one week prior

to when Mr. Hoffmeyer assaulted L.R. in the Dairy Queen parking lot.

{¶23} When Mr. Hoffmeyer’s counsel initially objected to the State only sending a portion

of the police body-camera video to the jury as evidence, the State argued the full body-camera

video contained inadmissible hearsay. The trial court agreed with the State’s assessment of the

video and Mr. Hoffmeyer’s counsel withdrew his objection at that time. Further, the trial court

and counsel for both parties discussed the fact that, even without the full-body camera video, Mr.

Hoffmeyer’s counsel cross-examined and impeached both L.R. and Officer Greissing regarding

whether L.R. and Mr. Hoffmeyer cohabited as spouses for purposes of the domestic violence

charge. In fact, Mr. Hoffmeyer’s counsel used L.R.’s written statement to police to refresh her

recollection about the duration of her relationship with Mr. Hoffmeyer. Further, Mr. Hoffmeyer’s

counsel cross-examined Officer Greissing on what counsel believed to be deficiencies in the police

investigation regarding Mr. Hoffmeyer’s address at the time of the assault.

{¶24} Indeed, as the Supreme Court of Ohio has previously stated, “[d]ebatable trial

tactics do not establish ineffective assistance of counsel.” State v. Cepec, 2016-Ohio-8076, ¶ 111,

citing State v. Leonard, 2004-Ohio-6235, ¶ 146. Although Mr. Hoffmeyer’s counsel did not use

specific portions of the police body-camera video to impeach L.R. on cross-examination, he did 9

use other methods to cross-examine L.R. regarding the element of cohabiting, and impeach L.R.,

through the use of her written statement to police, regarding the duration of her relationship with

Mr. Hoffmeyer. Thus, because counsel’s performance did not fall below an objective standard of

reasonable representation, Mr. Hoffmeyer has failed to meet his burden under the first prong of

Strickland.

Mr. Hoffmeyer’s Registered Address

{¶25} Mr. Hoffmeyer also argues his counsel’s performance was deficient because

counsel did not call Mr. Hoffmeyer’s parole officer to testify at trial regarding Mr. Hoffmeyer’s

“registered” address with Adult Parole Authority. The record, however, reflects Mr. Hoffmeyer’s

counsel did, in fact, cross-examine Officer Greissing on his failure to investigate whether Mr.

Hoffmeyer lived at the address that was registered with Adult Parole Authority. Additionally, Mr.

Hoffmeyer’s counsel elicited testimony from Officer Greissing on cross-examination that Officer

Greissing also failed to check the address associated with Mr. Hoffmeyer’s vehicle registration to

confirm whether Mr. Hoffmeyer actually lived at that address instead of with L.R.

{¶26} “Decisions regarding the calling of witnesses are within the purview of defense

counsel’s trial tactics.” State v. Rafferty, 2007-Ohio-3997, ¶ 16 (9th Dist.), quoting Elyria v.

Bozman, 2002-Ohio-2644, ¶ 17 (9th Dist.). “Reviewing courts must not use hindsight to second-

guess trial strategy, and must keep in mind that different trial counsel will often defend the same

case in different manners.” Rafferty at ¶ 16, quoting State v. McCaleb, 2004-Ohio-5940, ¶ 111

(11th Dist.). Further, as stated above, “[d]ebatable trial tactics do not establish ineffective

assistance of counsel.” Thus, because counsel’s performance did not fall below an objective

standard of reasonable representation, Mr. Hoffmeyer has failed to meet his burden under the first

prong of Strickland. 10

{¶27} Accordingly, Mr. Hoffmeyer’s first assignment of error is overruled.

III.

{¶28} Mr. Hoffmeyer’s first, second, and third assignments of error are overruled. The

judgment of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.

Judgment affirmed.

There were reasonable grounds for this appeal.

We order that a special mandate issue out of this Court, directing the Court of Common

Pleas, County of Summit, State of Ohio, to carry this judgment into execution. A certified copy

of this journal entry shall constitute the mandate, pursuant to App.R. 27.

Immediately upon the filing hereof, this document shall constitute the journal entry of

judgment, and it shall be file stamped by the Clerk of the Court of Appeals at which time the period

for review shall begin to run. App.R. 22(C). The Clerk of the Court of Appeals is instructed to

mail a notice of entry of this judgment to the parties and to make a notation of the mailing in the

docket, pursuant to App.R. 30.

Costs taxed to Appellant.

BETTY SUTTON FOR THE COURT

STEVENSON, P. J. CONCURS. 11

CARR, J. DISSENTING.

{¶29} I respectfully dissent in regard to the majority’s resolution of the first assignment

of error as I believe that trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance. The pivotal issue at trial was

whether the State could demonstrate that Hoffmeyer was a family or household member pursuant

to R.C. 2919.25(F)(1). I find it troubling that defense counsel failed to introduce L.R.’s statements

to police that Hoffmeyer was staying with her but not “technically” living with her given that those

statements would have been, by far, the most compelling evidence in support of Hoffmeyer’s

defense. Furthermore, defense counsel inexplicably failed to call Hoffmeyer’s parole officer

despite the fact that it was defense counsel who raised the issue that Hoffmeyer was on parole at

trial. Calling the parole officer would have allowed Hoffmeyer to affirmatively demonstrate that

his registered address with the Adult Parole Authority was not L.R.’s apartment. Given the posture

of this case, I disagree with the majority’s conclusion that defense counsel’s failure to present the

aforementioned evidence can be categorized as defensible trial tactics.

APPEARANCES:

ANDREW KARAS, Attorney at Law, for Appellant.

ELLIOT KOLKOVICH, Prosecuting Attorney, and C. RICHLEY RALEY, JR., Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for Appellee.