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Athens Today
By the People, for the People
Lyceum Lunch to Explore Unsolved Ohio Murder Mystery
Attorney K. Robert Toy to discuss the case of Gene Stees, who vanished after being convicted of killing his wife in 1970.
Published on Feb. 25, 2026
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The Southeast Ohio History Center's Lyceum Luncheon Speaker Series will host attorney K. Robert Toy for a presentation on the unsolved case of Gene Stees, an Ohio University professor who was convicted of killing his pregnant wife in 1970 but escaped from prison and disappeared over 50 years ago. Toy will recount the details of the case and raise the question of whether Stees, who would now be 94 years old, is still alive.
Why it matters
The Stees case remains one of the most notorious unsolved crimes in Ohio history, sparking ongoing speculation about his fate and whereabouts. Toy's presentation aims to shed new light on the case and engage the community in discussing the lasting impact of this unresolved murder mystery.
The details
In 1970, Gene Stees was convicted of bludgeoning his pregnant wife and dumping her body in a 55-gallon steel drum at Strouds Run State Park. Stees was serving his sentence at the Ohio State Penitentiary when he escaped on February 21, 1970 and disappeared. Toy, a former Athens County prosecutor, will recount the details of the case and explore the possibility that Stees, now 94 years old, may still be alive.
- The Lyceum Luncheon will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at noon.
- Gene Stees escaped from prison on February 21, 1970, over 56 years ago.
The players
K. Robert Toy
An attorney who served as the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney of Athens County from 1978 to 1992 and is certified by the Ohio Supreme Court to be lead counsel in capital cases. Toy has tried over 200 jury trials, including more than 20 murder trials.
Gene Stees
An Ohio University professor who was convicted in 1970 of bludgeoning his pregnant wife and dumping her body in a 55-gallon steel drum. Stees escaped from prison in 1970 and has been missing for over 50 years.
What they’re saying
“The Stees case remains one of the most notorious unsolved crimes in Ohio history, sparking ongoing speculation about his fate and whereabouts.”
— K. Robert Toy, Attorney (Athens News)
What’s next
Toy's presentation aims to engage the community in discussing the lasting impact of this unresolved murder mystery and whether Stees, now 94 years old, may still be alive.
The takeaway
The Lyceum Luncheon will provide a platform to revisit this decades-old cold case and explore the enduring questions and theories surrounding the disappearance of Gene Stees, offering the community a chance to reflect on one of Ohio's most perplexing unsolved crimes.
