Retired Detective Alleges Botched Investigation in 2012 Death of Parma Paralegal

Published: Apr 11, 2026 - 6:21 p.m.

By D Heckman

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PARMA, Ohio — A retired Cuyahoga County detective and a newly compiled investigative report are raising serious questions about the 2012 death of Dawn Pasela, a paralegal who was allegedly set to expose prosecutorial misconduct. The findings challenge the original determination of her death and allege a series of critical failures by initial investigators. Pasela, 26, was a former employee connected to a multi-agency mortgage fraud task force. She was found dead in her Parma apartment on April 28, 2012. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner ruled her death was due to acute alcohol intoxication, with a reported blood alcohol level of 0.56%. The Parma Police Department initially classified the death as a suicide. A 2023 investigative summary alleges Pasela was a whistleblower cooperating with the defense team of Tony Viola, a mortgage broker she had previously helped prosecute. The report claims she was preparing to testify about misconduct involving prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris and possessed sensitive evidence she believed proved they withheld exculpatory evidence. John Morgan, a retired detective with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office who reviewed the case file years later, was critical of the initial police work. "There was no investigation," Morgan said, citing a lack of evidence collection, missing documentation and an absence of basic procedures such as witness canvassing or surveillance review. According to the summary, several key pieces of evidence were overlooked at the scene. Three of Pasela's cellphones were reportedly present but never collected by police. The report also notes that one of the phones showed activity after the estimated time of death, complicating the official timeline. Family and witness statements included in the report describe Pasela as fearful in the days before she died. An affidavit from her mother, Karen Pasela, states her daughter was "visibly crying and shaking" while discussing alleged threats related to her potential testimony. Further questions have been raised by a review of medical examiner records and photos, which reportedly show possible bruising on Pasela's neck and a broken necklace, suggesting a potential struggle. Morgan also criticized the handling of the scene, noting that an open window and elevated heat could have contaminated evidence and affected decomposition estimates. Viola, who was ultimately acquitted in a state trial after using evidence Pasela allegedly helped uncover, maintains that her death was not an accident. "Every single piece of evidence we've obtained supports the theory that her death was the result of foul play," Viola said in a statement included in the report. The Pasela family has continued to advocate for a new investigation. According to the report, Parma police previously indicated the case could be referred to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, but the family says this has not occurred. Morgan believes the initial failures have created a significant challenge. "How can I do a death investigation 10 years later?" he said, explaining that the lack of properly collected evidence makes it nearly impossible to reconstruct the events. -------------------- At Cleveland 13 News, we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable reporting. If you spot an error, omission, or have information that may need updating, please email us at tips@cleveland13news.com. As a community-driven news network, we appreciate the help of our readers in ensuring the integrity of our reporting.