A 78-year-old Deerfield Township man has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to killing his companion this past fall in an alleged “mercy killing.”
Warren County Prosecutor David P. Fornshell says Gerald Olin Finley, 78, pled guilty and was convicted of murder Friday in connection to the death of Emilia Vinokur, 79, last year.
The charges are in connection to the incident that took place on Sept. 7, 2025. Warren County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a person with a gunshot wound around 3:15 p.m. at Deerfield Twp. Fire Station 57 in the 3000 block of West U.S. 22, after Finley drove Vinokur to the fire station.
Crews attempted life-saving efforts, but Vinokur was pronounced dead at the scene. Prosecutors say Finley admitted to officers that he shot Vinokur inside the vehicle, describing it as a planned mercy killing and that he had contemplated it for about a week.
However, officials say Finley was unable to specify any illness or medical condition that Vinokur was affected by. A subsequent medical examination and autopsy confirmed no evidence of an underlying illness or terminal condition, officials say.
“Unfortunately, there’s just no logical explanation for Finley’s actions. Just a sad and senseless killing,” said Fornshell. Finley originally was charged with aggravated murder and two counts each of murder and felonious assault but the other charges were dismissed as part of his plea.
Finley was sentenced by Warren County Common Please Court Judge Donald E. Oda II to the prescribed 18 years to life in prison.
