Third burglary suspect is Childress' uncle

Peace NOT BLADE PHOTO Enlarge

The man police named as the third suspect in the burglary of a prison guard's North Toledo home is the uncle of the man shot dead by the homeowner.

Jason Lee Peace, 43, of 2038 North Michigan St. was named by police yesterday as a suspect. Mr. Peace is identified as uncle to Mr. Childress in his obituary and by his family who spoke to The Blade.

No charges had been filed yesterday against Mr. Peace in relation to the home burglary Saturday.

"We suspect he was the third person in the home," Sgt. Tim Noble said.

Homeowner Sedric Joplin, 40, a guard at the Toledo Correctional Institute since 2000, told police he returned to his home at 811 Galena St. about 8:30 p.m. Saturday to find inside three suspects whom police identify as Christopher Childress, 21, Michael Brown, Jr., 19, and Jason Peace, 43.

Neighbors knew Mr. Joplin planned to be away overnight at his grandmother's funeral in Ypsilanti, Mich., employees at Homer's Cycles have said. Emergency dispatchers were still on the line as Mr. Joplin fired several shots and struck at least two of the three as they tried to flee through a first-floor window. Mr. Childress, who shares his uncle's address, was shot and managed to run to the corner of Galena and Michigan before he collapsed. He was later pronounced dead at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center.

The single bullet that killed him entered through his back and pierced his lung, said Dr. Cynthia Beisser, a Lucas County deputy coroner.

Also shot in the back was Mr. Brown, who was admitted to Toledo Hospital when police arrived hours after the alleged crime.

He left without being discharged from the hospital and was arrested at 8:15 p.m. last night at at 2510 Consaul St., Sergeant Bill Wauford said.

He was arrested on warrants for the burglary and breaking and entering at Mr. Joplin's home. He was taken to Toledo Hospital to be examined, but Sergeant Wauford said he had not been seriously wounded.

Mr. Peace is wanted on three outstanding warrants of breaking and entering, vandalism, and possessing criminal tools for an unrelated crime. He is accused of taking copper and piping from the vacant Riverside Hospital on Nov. 22, court records show.