Five people dead, all fingers pointing to one man: Forty-five-year-old George Brinkman.
Brinkman is accused of murdering a husband and wife in Lake Township, near North Canton and a woman and her two daughters in North Royalton.
WKYC's Carly Flynn Morgan spoke with Jimmie Leon, George Brinkman's stepfather Tuesday evening.
His stepfather told Carly that although he lived a troubled life, something violent like this is totally out of Brinkman's character. He described him as handy, shy, and good with children.
Jimmie Leon reveals a man loved by many, with a complicated past. He tells us George did some jail time in 1999 for forging checks, but hadn't been in legal trouble since.
Leon says George's girlfriend, Stacy John, daughter of the North Canton victims, dumped him in 2013. He lost his mom to cancer that same year. His brother committed suicide in 2015.
Those were hard times.
But George remained close with Stacy's parents, working for them seasonally.
George was recently doing well, living in and fixing up a condo, until he had to move out earlier this month.
His stepfather was shocked and saddened by the violent crimes. Everyone, including authorities, trying to figure out why.
Although he's being held in North Royalton, Brinkman has not yet been charged with the three deaths there. Police say they are awaiting autopsy results from the Medical Examiner.
However he does faces two murder charges in North Canton.