Police arrest man in 2016 killing of prominent Dallas lawyer Ira Tobolowsky

A person investigators centered on instantly after the slaying of distinguished Dallas legal professional Ira Tobolowsky almost six years in the past was arrested Wednesday in Florida on a capital homicide cost in connection along with his dying.

Tobolowsky’s physique was discovered within the burning storage of his North Dallas dwelling in Might 2016. A Dallas police spokeswoman refused to say what proof prompted the arrest of 61-year-old Steven Aubrey so lengthy after police initially questioned him in regards to the case.

Aubrey was booked into the Broward County Jail in lieu of $2 million bail, based on jail information. It was unclear whether or not he had an legal professional.

Aubrey beforehand denied involvement within the killing. He was concerned in a authorized dispute with Tobolowsky on the time of the lawyer’s dying. Tobolowsky’s household pointed fingers at Aubrey for years. However till this week, nobody had been arrested within the case.

Tobolowsky’s household couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.

Tobolowsky, 68, was discovered useless after firefighters extinguished a blaze at his dwelling within the 7400 block of Kenshire Lane. Authorities decided somebody had began the fireplace deliberately. Police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman mentioned Wednesday that Aubrey assaulted Tobolowsky in his storage, poured gasoline on him after which set him on fireplace.

The health worker’s workplace dominated his dying a murder and mentioned he died of blunt power accidents, smoke inhalation and burns. A search-warrant affidavit had revealed that detectives suspected that somebody drilled holes into the lawyer’s fence to spy on him.

Instantly after Tobolowsky’s dying, Dallas police interviewed Aubrey and Brian Vodicka and searched their houses, however they weren’t accused of against the law. Vodicka, who couldn’t be reached for remark, was not arrested Wednesday and police haven’t accused him of wrongdoing. Tobolowsky had represented Aubrey’s mom in a authorized dispute together with her son. Vodicka, a lawyer in a relationship with Aubrey, represented Aubrey.

Tobolowsky filed a defamation go well with towards the 2, accusing Aubrey of utilizing “intentional lies, fraud, defamatory statements and ‘soiled tips’” to get him to cease representing Aubrey’s mom and mentioned that Vodicka attacked Tobolowsky’s integrity.

Tobolowsky claimed in a civil criticism that Aubrey brazenly referred to as his battle along with his brother and mom “jihad.” In his response, Aubrey in contrast Tobolowsky to “an ISIS butcher,” referring to the Islamic militant group.

The lawsuit gained further consideration after Tobolowsky’s killing. The decide presiding over the case was given further safety and later stepped down, saying it is likely to be related to the lawyer’s slaying. After Tobolowsky’s dying, his household was awarded $5.5 million within the go well with.

In previous interviews with The Dallas Morning Information, Aubrey and Vodicka denied having any position in Tobolowsky’s slaying. They mentioned they’d by no means been to Tobolowsky’s dwelling.

The 2 additionally sued the mum or dad firm of The Information over protection of Tobolowsky’s slaying earlier than abruptly dropping the lawsuit in 2017. Property information present Aubrey and Vodicka personal a home in Broward County.

“Do we predict that the police are nonetheless or investigating us? I actually hope not as a result of there may be not one factor that connects me to that heinous crime besides the truth that I used to be in a lawsuit with this man,” Aubrey informed The Information. “I hope they’ve moved on, however I don’t know.”

Each males instructed police ought to look into different individuals with whom Tobolowsky carried out enterprise.

“Ira Tobolowsky had every kind of enterprise dealings,” Aubrey mentioned on the time. “Anyone is sad about one thing.”

Florida court docket information present that Aubrey filed for a restraining order towards one in all Tobolowsky’s sons in June 2017, accusing Michael Tobolowsky of stalking and threatening him. A decide denied the request, ruling that Aubrey’s allegations didn’t represent stalking.

Final yr, Aubrey tried to legally change his identify to Steven B. King, claiming that he and Vodicka had been “mistakenly related to a high-profile legislation enforcement investigation” and that detrimental publicity had affected his means to earn a residing. He appealed after a decide rejected the identify change to forestall Aubrey from evading his collectors.

Aubrey was arrested in 2016 on a prostitution cost. That case continues to be pending, based on court docket information.

A popular legal professional

Tobolowsky was a popular legal professional who got here from a prestigious Dallas household that has been energetic within the Jewish neighborhood and the authorized career. His cousin is state District Decide Emily Tobolowsky. He’s additionally associated to actor and director Stephen Tobolowsky and College of North Texas professor Peggy Tobolowsky, who can be a lifetime trustee of the Dallas Jewish Neighborhood Basis.

Tobolowsky as soon as efficiently argued a case earlier than the U.S. Supreme Courtroom. His funeral drew almost 1,000 individuals to Congregation Shearith Israel.

Tobolowsky’s family members looked for solutions within the killing for years. In 2019, they supplied a $20,000 reward for details about the lawyer’s dying. In addition they filed a petition to get police investigative recordsdata within the case, and Dallas metropolis and county officers later sought to dam the court-ordered launch.

His buddies mentioned he had suffered from a lifelong power situation that made it troublesome for him to stroll, including that he would have been unable to defend himself.

“Our dad was at all times the man who protected others,” his son, Michael Tobolowsky, mentioned in 2016. “We really feel prefer it’s our flip to step up and do something we probably can to attempt to assist the police discover the knowledge they should discover the one who did this to our dad.”

Mark Hefflefinger, a household good friend and decadeslong officemate of Ira Tobolowsky, mentioned Wednesday that “everyone seems to be simply very emotional” and desires to know what occurred to their father, husband and good friend.

“It’s excellent news to all people,” Hefflefinger mentioned. “Everyone needs the reality.”

Hefflefinger remembered going to Rangers baseball video games with Tobolowsky and different fond reminiscences. He mentioned the final six years have been stuffed with immense loss, unhappiness, anger and confusion, however mentioned that “hope” could also be forward.

“Everyone misses Ira,” he mentioned. “He was one in all a sort.”