In a dramatic turn of events, five men who spent over two decades in prison for a crime they insist they did not commit have filed a lawsuit against the City of Toledo and several former police officers. The complaint was filed by Louis Costilla Jr., Eric Misch, Joseph Rickard, Ismael Vasquez, and Lorenzo Vasquez on November 24, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division. They are suing the City of Toledo and various members of its police department for what they claim was a conspiracy to wrongfully convict them.
The plaintiffs were young men aged between 16 and 24 when they were arrested in connection with the murder of an unarmed Black man. They were convicted based on what they now allege was fabricated evidence and coerced confessions orchestrated by members of the Toledo Police Department. According to the complaint, “Defendants conspired to manufacture false and fabricated evidence against Plaintiffs to ensure they would be convicted for a crime they did not commit.” The plaintiffs assert that crucial exculpatory evidence proving their innocence was withheld from them for decades.
The case revolves around allegations that key pieces of evidence pointing to other suspects were ignored or suppressed by the defendants. The plaintiffs claim that immediately after the murder occurred in August 1992, police received credible tips implicating other individuals close to the victim but chose instead to focus on them. This led to coerced confessions and fabricated witness statements used as pretexts for arresting and charging them. Eric Misch’s legal team eventually uncovered DNA evidence from a bloody bottle found at the crime scene that did not match any of the plaintiffs but instead pointed towards another suspect.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress, reputational harm, physical injuries suffered during incarceration, and loss of liberty due to wrongful imprisonment. Additionally, punitive damages are sought against individual defendants accused of malice and willful indifference toward constitutional rights violations. The plaintiffs demand accountability from those responsible for their wrongful convictions and aim to prevent similar injustices from occurring in Toledo.
Represented by attorneys Jon Loevy and Tara Thompson from Loevy & Loevy law firm based in Chicago, Illinois, this high-profile case is set before Judge TBA under Case ID: 3:25-cv-02578.
Source: 325cv02578_Costilla_Jr_v_City_of_Toledo_Complaint_Northern_District_Ohio.pdf
