Toledo man is held in his uncle's death

Relatives of victim Donald Lee look on as Robert Parker is arraigned in Toledo Municipal Court.

A Toledo man accused of stabbing his uncle to death and then setting his apartment on fire early Sunday in the central city was arraigned yesterday in Toledo Municipal Court.

Judge Robert Christiansen ordered Robert Parker, 42, of 1247 Hamilton St., held in the Lucas County jail in lieu of a $500,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing Jan. 13.

The victim, Donald Lee, 74, died of multiple stab wounds to the head and torso, said Dr. Cynthia Beisser, a Lucas County deputy corner. He was not burned in the fire and his death was ruled a homicide, she said.

Mr. Parker showed no emotion during the arraignment, for which at least eight Lee family members were present.

As soon as he was arraigned and escorted out of the courtroom, the family members were whisked out by a representative of the court's victims office.

Several of the family members were in tears, while others were hugging and consoling each other. They declined to comment.

Toledo police Detective Bill Seymour said Mr. Parker has confessed to stabbing his uncle to death and then setting fire to his home in the Albertus Brown housing complex. Mr. Parker was visiting his uncle, who lived alone, the detective said.

Mr. Lee, who cleaned homes and buildings for a living, was found dead at his home at 328 Belmont Ave. about 9:15 a.m. Sunday by Toledo firefighters, who were there to extinguish a small couch fire reported by neighbors.

Mr. Lee, Toledo's first homicide victim of 2009, has several nieces and nephews, of whom he raised three: 21-year-old twins Evin and Devin Lee and Kenneth Lee, 23, his family has told The Blade.

Staff writer Meghan Gilbert contributed to this report.