Bond was set at $500,000 Monday for an 18-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing his stepfather in their home on Father's Day.

Michael J. Ray was arraigned in Hamilton Municipal Court on one count of murder and was sent back to the Butler County Jail. He is accused of killing Bryan K. Schmidt, 36, 2895 Weeping Willow Drive.

Ray told sheriff's deputies he "did it" when they arrived at the ranch-style house in a subdivision between the villages of Seven Mile and New Miami at about 4:45 p.m. Sunday, according to police reports.

Sheriff's deputies said a disagreement between Ray and Schmidt led to the stabbing.

When deputies entered the one-story home, they found Schmidt on the kitchen floor in the arms of his wife, Bonnie Ray Schmidt. Both were covered in blood and asking for help. A man, later identified as Ray, was also in the room covered in blood. Ray was talking on the phone stating "I did it, yes I did," according to deputies. He was ordered to put the phone down and was placed in handcuffs. Ray said the knife was in his bedroom, according to the sheriff's report.

Bonnie Schmidt said, "he is my son and get him out of here."

Sheriff's Lt. Mike Craft called the slaying "an unfortunate tragedy."

Attorney Richard Hyde was appointed Ray's attorney, but told Judge Dan Gattermeyer he would talk with the family about hiring an attorney. Ray's grandparents were in court, but made no comments. A preliminary hearing was set for June 25.

One neighbor said deputies have been called to the residence at least twice this year.

Erica Woods, who just moved next door to the family, said she saw Schmidt playing with his little girl earlier on Sunday.

"You'd always see them playing ball and never heard anybody yelling over there," she said. "I surely never expected this out here."

Another neighbor, Cherri Guilbeaux, has lived in the neighborhood for 13 years and said she was working in her yard in the 3000 block of Teakwood Drive when emergency crews responded to the Schmidt home. Guilbeaux said the Schmidt family had lived in the neighborhood about six years ago.

"They pretty much kept to themselves and I couldn't get to know the people," she said. "I can't believe this happened on Father's Day. It's hard to believe that something like this would happen here.
"They're nice people and this was tragic."