Bond set for man accused of killing

4/6/2010

Bond was set at $900,000 for Ray Anthony Gott on murder and felonious assault charges at his arraignment Tuesday morning in Toledo Municipal Court.

Gott, 46, of 30 West Weber St., is accused of killing Edward Lee, 35, and shooting Sherlon McKenzie, 30, both of North Toledo early Sunday in the Moody Manor apartments parking lot.

Several hours before Gott turned himself in to police on murder and felonious-assault charges, his North Toledo home was intentionally set on fire in what authorities suspect was retaliation for his alleged crime.

Gott, 46, of 30 West Weber St., is charged in the death of Edward Lee, 35, and the shooting of Sherlon McKenzie, 30, both of North Toledo.

About 10:20 p.m. Sunday - the same day that a quarrel involving one of Gott's daughters ended with the shooting in the Moody Manor apartments parking lot - gasoline was poured onto the porch roof of Gott's home and ignited, according to the Toledo Fire Department incident report.

Heavy fire on the porch and front room of the house caused an estimated $30,000 in damage.

Two people were seen running from the house before the fire started, and police on the scene told firefighters that the act probably was retaliation for the shooting, the incident report said.

Toledo Police Detective Jay Gast stopped short of making that connection, however.

"The last thing you want is for one bad incident to turn into another bad incident," Detective Gast said. "Enough people's lives have been damaged by all this."

The house on West Weber is owned by Gott's ex-wife, Audrey Fobbs. The couple divorced in 2006.

A person who identified herself as a family member but declined to be identified further said no one was injured in the fire but that "people have been making threats" against Gott and his family since the shooting.

Gott declined to be interviewed. His wife and children did not respond to requests for comment.

There was no answer at their West Weber Street home yesterday afternoon, where a smoke-stained stuffed Easter bunny lay on the front porch near the boarded-up door and front window. A plush couch and matching loveseat, overturned and burned, lay in the front yard near remnants of other fire-damaged furniture and toys.

Gott is charged in the early Sunday shooting that evolved from a quarrel that began at Club Liberty Bar & Grill at 812 Matzinger Rd.

The two shooting victims were at the bar with a woman who was involved in the quarrel with one of Gott's daughters, Detective Gast said. The quarrel moved from Club Liberty to an unknown location off Lagrange Street, ending with the 4:50 a.m. shootings in the parking lot at the Moody Manor apartments, Detective Gast said.

It was unclear yesterday whether Gott was present at Club Liberty during the initial quarrel.

Mr. Lee and Mr. Mc-

Kenzie were standing near a pickup truck in the apartment parking lot in the 2200 block of Kent Street when they were sprayed by gunfire, police said. Mr. Lee was shot once in the abdomen and leg and died about 11 a.m. Sunday in Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center.

His death was the seventh homicide in Toledo this year, Sgt. Tim Noble said.

Dr. James Patrick, Lucas County coroner, said Mr. Lee died of a gunshot wound that caused massive internal bleeding.

Mr. McKenzie was shot once in the leg and was discharged from St. Vincent yesterday, a hospital spokesman said.

Gott was arrested yesterday morning after turning himself in to police. He is scheduled to be arraigned today.

Staff writer Mike Sigov contributed to this report.

Contact Bridget Tharp at:

btharp@theblade.com

or 419-724-6061.