On September 10, 2025, John Michael Lee, 48, was found with gunshot wounds inside a tent at a small homeless encampment behind a plumbing supply business on the 1300 block of Wernet Court SW in Canton. Fire crews had been called first for a tent blaze sparked by a propane tank; after the flames were knocked down, police discovered the wounded man. He was rushed to Aultman Hospital and died the same day.

Detectives quickly identified and took into custody Justen P. Ove, 44, who was charged with murder and booked into the Stark County Jail. His bond was set at $1 million at an initial appearance in Canton Municipal Court. Authorities have not publicly outlined a motive or any relationship between Lee and Ove.

Obituaries confirmed Lee’s name, age, and date of death and offered only a brief sketch of his life. The case remains focused on the tent fire, the gunshot wounds, and the unanswered question of why John Michael Lee was killed; anyone with information about him, the campsite, or the incident is asked to come forward.