GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Grand Rapids man has been found guilty in connection to a 2020 house fire that killed four of his family members.
Robert Scales was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after being accused of starting a fire in February of 2020 that resulted in the death of his wife, stepson and two biological sons.
Scales' wife, Wanedia Scales, 34, his stepson, Xavier Woldeab, 15, and his two biological children Robert Scales, Jr., 13, and Elijah Scales, 9, all died in the fire.
Prosecutors said the fire began when Scales burned materials too close to the home on Dawes Avenue SE, calling his actions "grossly negligent." Witnesses said during the trial that a fire pit was placed just outside the home, which lacked smoke detectors.
Grand Rapids Fire Lt. Roy Vincent LaGrone, who investigated the fire, testified that the fire pit was placed less than six feet from the home. Grand Rapids code calls for recreational fire pits to be at least 20 feet from a residence.
Edward Allen Jr., Scales' partner in a junk hauling business, testified that the fire had been put out prior to him leaving the home around 7:45 p.m. He said he and Scales had burned material from a job, and then put water and a lid over the pit.
But during the investigation, Allen told a Grand Rapids Police detective that Scales had just been starting the fire as he left the house. There were several other discrepancies between his testimony and his initial statements to police.
Court records show his wife had requested a personal protection order but was denied. She wrote that Scales "vandalized property and has threaten (sic) to burn the house down with me in it." She also wrote that he threatened her in front of the children.
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