Update: $1 Million Bond set in Kent Murder Case

Editor's Note: Updated at 4:44 p.m. June 23.

The to death is being held on a $1 million bond one day after being charged with murder.

Portage County Municipal Court Judge Barbara Oswick set bond for Leonard J. Armstrong, 49, of 112 Sherman St., at $1 million at his arraignment this afternoon at the recommendation of the Portage County Prosecutor's Office.

Armstrong was charged in the death of Jeffrey A. Sipes, 57, who was found by Kent police in his Silver Meadows apartment June 6.

He appeared in Oswick's courtroom via a video link from the Portage County jail, where he is being held. Armstrong appeared to be wearing what is commonly referred to as a suicide smock, a black, velcro outfit with no sleeves, that is typically used for prisoners placed on suicide watch. The outfit is a stark contrast to the standard orange-and-white striped uniform used for prisoners at the jail.

Portage County Sheriff Dave Doak said whether or not Armstrong is on suicide watch is privileged medical information that cannot be released to the public.

Oswick ordered Armstrong undergo a mental health evaluation, which is likely to be conducted Friday by Coleman Professional Services.

Armstrong has been charged with murder, an unclassified felony that carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison if found guilty. He could face a maximum sentence of life in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000.

Kent police arrested Armstrong Wednesday morning, a little more than two weeks after Sipes' death.

A preliminary hearing in Armstrong's case is set for Friday, July 1, at 11:15 a.m. in the Kent Municipal Court. He requested a court-appointed attorney.

A press release issued by Kent police Wednesday said Sipes died of “stab wounds,” indicating multiple wounds. But Tom Decker, chief investigator for the Portage County Coroner's Office, said he could not release information on how many times Sipes was stabbed.

Police are not releasing details about possible motive or if Armstrong is the "person of interest" they were investigating in the days following Sipes' murder.

Fellow residents of 112 Sherman St. — a large home built in 1890, now divided into nearly a dozen boarding-house units — told Kent Patch that Armstrong moved into Apt. 2 on the first floor late last year.

Armstrong's housemates said he earned a living as a "scrapper," finding recyclable items to sell to salvage yards for cash.