Suspect’s, victim’s families clash outside court
Man arraigned in ex-wife’s death in February
4/12/2014
Deanna Jones, center, sister of Brandi Gonyer-Boaston, gets into a verbal altercation with Rose Boaston-Ugwuneri, sister of Ronald Boaston outside court. Brandi’s mother, Cindy Gonyer is at left.
THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY
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Deanna Jones, center, sister of Brandi Gonyer-Boaston, gets into a verbal altercation with Rose Boaston-Ugwuneri, sister of Ronald Boaston outside court. Brandi’s mother, Cindy Gonyer is at left.
A shouting match Friday outside Toledo Municipal Court after the arraignment of a homicide suspect lasted longer than the actual court proceeding.
Appearing in court facing a murder charge for the death of his ex-wife was Ronald Boaston, 41, of 1126 Amanda Circle.
He was ordered to remain in the Lucas County jail in lieu of $1 million bond.
Family members of the accused were in court, sitting in the second row, waving and nodding at the suspect who was dressed in a bright orange jail-issued jumpsuit.
Mr. Boaston is accused of strangling his ex-wife Brandi Gonyer-Boaston, 28, at the Amanda Circle residence on Feb. 14.
Ms. Gonyer-Boaston’s body was found by hunters on Feb. 15 in a vehicle parked in a Fulton County field. The vehicle was running.
Ms. Gonyer-Boaston’s sister, mother, and son were walking into the downtown courthouse just after the arraignment ended.
“I was happy [about the arrest],” said Deanna Jones of Toledo, Ms. Gonyer-Boaston’s sister. “... It's been a long time coming.”
Boaston
Mrs. Jones, who was wearing a T-shirt with a picture of her sister, described Ms. Gonyer-Boaston as “an awesome person. She was loving. … She didn’t deserve this.”
Cindy Gonyer, the victim’s mother, who was also wearing a shirt with Ms. Gonyer-Boaston’s photo on the front, said, “It’s not closure. He took from me what I can’t get back.”
While the women were talking to the media outside the Erie Street courthouse, Mr. Boaston’s supporters came out and a shouting match ensued.
“My brother is innocent,” said Rose Boaston-Ugwuneri. “He didn’t kill her.”
The two sides hurled insults back and forth, pointing and yelling in each others’ faces.
Despite police officers nearby, no one intervened for several minutes until a Lucas County sheriff's deputy came outside to break up the fight.
Afterward, Mrs. Boaston-Ugwuneri said, “I want the process to go through. I want the courts to find my brother innocent or guilty.”
She said she does not believe her brother would be capable of killing Ms. Gonyer-Boaston; she described their relationship as sometimes troubled.
“He loved her,” said Janice Kimmons, who described herself as a long-time family friend.
Mr. Boaston and the victim had two children together. They became engaged in 2003 and divorced in 2006. It was not clear when the pair married.
Mr. Boaston is to appear in court again for a preliminary hearing on April 21.
Contact Taylor Dungjen at tdungjen@theblade.com, or 419-724-6054, or on Twitter @taylordungjen.