Sunday, July 6, 2003

2 charged with robbing, killing elderly woman



The Associated Press

TOLEDO - Two men were charged with murdering an 89-year-old woman in her home and stealing $13 and her car, police said.

Curtis Stone, 18, and Andre Flanigan, 20, were arraigned Saturday in Toledo Municipal Court on one count of murder and aggravated robbery each.

Bond was set at $650,000 each - $400,000 for the murder charges and $250,000 for the aggravated robbery.

Police say the men gagged Amelia Topolski with electric tape, tied her up and dropped her on her head as they dragged her upstairs during the robbery.

A preliminary autopsy was inconclusive, said Cynthia Beisser, deputy Lucas County coroner.

A neighbor of Topolski's called her relatives Wednesday after noticing that the woman's car was missing and she hadn't been seen for days.

Police found Topolski's back door open and found her face-down inside with head trauma.