Police make an arrest in Mentor-on-the-Lake bartender murder

MENTOR-ON-THE-LAKE, Ohio - Police in Lake County made an arrest Tuesday in the case of a woman murdered after closing a bar.

Joseph Thomas, 26, of Madison Township, was arrested and charged with aggravated murder in connection with the death of Ann McSween, Mentor-on-the-Lake police said.

McSween, 49, of Mentor and Mentor-on-the-Lake, was found in a wooded area with multiple stab wounds, including one on her neck, the morning of Nov. 26, 2010.

McSween was a bartender at Mario's Lakeway Lounge, and police said, she was the last one to leave the bar in the early morning hours before her body was found.

NewsChannel5's Dan Haggerty tracked down Thomas' landlord in Madison Township.  Susan Gorsha said Thomas lived in her home the night McSween was murdered.  Gorsha also said police have been to the home several times over the last several months to speak with Thomas.

Asked if she thought Thomas was guilty, Gorsha said, "I don't know. I'm going to leave that up to everybody else to decide. I'm not going to say he's guilty and I'm not going to say that he's not guilty. I don't know."

Thomas lived at the Madison Township home in exchange for household chores, Gorsha said, and added Thomas is a friend of her daughter's.

Police said Thomas is expected to be arraigned at the Mentor Municipal court at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday.

No further information is available about the arrest at this time.  Keep checking back for the latest developments on this developing story.