CINCINNATI -- The man accused in an Anderson Township homicide Tuesday beat his victim with a golf club, tied him up and staged a robbery, according to a court affidavit.
Authorities arrested Thomas Schaffner, 39, late Tuesday night and charged him with aggravated robbery and murder in the death of Steven Henderson Sr. A judge set his bond at $1.5 million Wednesday.
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Hamilton County Detective Tim Parker asked the judge to set a high bond because of the brutality of Henderson's death.
Deputies said Schaffner admitted to getting into a verbal altercation with Henderson and then striking him with a golf club. He then bound Henderson’s wrists and feet and continued to beat him until he could no longer move or speak, according to the court documents.
Investigators said Schaffner then ransacked Henderson’s home to make it appear a robbery took place. Court documents state Schaffner took several electronics, poured gasoline and acetone throughout the home and ignited the gas stove and oven before taking Henderson’s 2002 Toyota Camry and fleeing the scene.
Henderson's neighbors, including Max Beermann who knew his son, are trying to cope with the loss.
"He was really nice. Funny." Beermann said. "He loved everybody around here. He was a really nice guy."
Schaffner later burned the vehicle to destroy evidence, deputies said.
The Hamilton County Coroner hasn’t released an official cause of death yet for Henderson, but an autopsy is set to be completed Wednesday.
Schaffner will face a grand jury on July 28.
