Neighbor Shot in Cleveland: Suspect Freed on Bond After Felonious Assault Arrest
A Cleveland couple, Mark Thomas Jr. and his fiancée Kelly Slobodian, have been hotel hopping for nearly a month, fearing for their safety after a traumatic incident involving their next-door neighbor. Thomas, who was shot in the back by 71-year-old Steven Rogers, said he no longer feels safe in their home. Rogers, who was arrested for felonious assault after the shooting, was released on bond just a week later.
“We don’t feel safe anywhere,” Thomas said. “We have to move. We don’t trust anyone anymore.” Slobodian, visibly terrified, explained that they are staying close enough to maintain contact with police and the court system but are running out of funds for hotels. “I’m using my savings to pay for hotel rooms,” she added.
The dispute between the couple and Rogers is not a new one. In October 2022, Thomas and Slobodian were brutally attacked by Rogers’ adult children and another man. At the time, the couple had an active protection order against Rogers. Following the attack, Rogers filed a motion to have his firearm returned after their protection order expired. This ongoing feud has left the couple in fear for their lives.
“The wheels of justice are slow, and my faith is in God,” Thomas said. “But I don’t have much faith in the system.”
The financial strain has been significant for the couple, with both of them out of work. Slobodian has been forced to handle everything on her own, as Thomas, still recovering from his injuries, is unable to help. “I need to be his fiancée, not his nurse,” she said, explaining how difficult it is to see Thomas in pain. “Today we had to go back to the ER because he was in so much pain.”
While some assistance has come from local nonprofits, including the May Dugan Center, which helps crime victims, the couple is still struggling to rebuild their lives. “I’m having to pack and sell my house of 18 years on my own,” Slobodian said. “It’s really hard.”
Despite their efforts to seek justice, Rogers was released on a $100,000 bond in October, despite the couple’s pleas to increase the amount. “If we can just get the justice that we deserve, we can move on,” Thomas said. “We shouldn’t be this scared to live in Cleveland. It’s a great city with great people, and we should not be this afraid.”
Rogers is scheduled to appear in court again on November 19.
