2011 trial set in deaths of elderly North Toledo pair

5/7/2010

A 2011 trial date was set in Lucas County Common Pleas Court on Thursday for a Toledo man who could face the death penalty for charges associated with the beating deaths of an elderly couple in their Mulberry Street home.

Edgar Howard, 48, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated robbery. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

Yesterday, Judge Gary Cook set a Jan. 24 trial date.

Authorities say Frances Fox, 88, died during a May, 2008, attack in her home at 3373 Mulberry St. Her husband, Kenneth Fox, 75, died in December in the Darlington House nursing home. A coroner's ruling established that Mr. Fox died from complications of injuries suffered in the assault.

Howard initially had been charged with one count each of aggravated murder, attempted murder, and felonious assault. The attempted murder and assault charges was upgraded to aggravated murder after Mr. Fox died. Judge Cook dismissed the earlier indictment.