A Detroit man famed for his notorious Liberace house is now facing serious criminal charges after the property went up in flames last month.
Man accused of burning down his Liberace house
Ronald Nassar, once recognized for his extravagant interior design choices, was arrested and charged with second-degree arson following a fire that broke out at his Grixdale neighborhood residence.
According to officials, Nassar was present at the scene as firefighters arrived to contain the blaze.
On June 16, crews from the Detroit Fire Department were initially dispatched to a different location in the area after receiving a 911 call, but soon discovered that the fire was actually coming from Nassar’s property located at 450 W. Grixdale.
“Nassar was arrested on the scene of the fire that same day and has been charged with second-degree arson relative to the fire at his home,” said department spokesperson Corey McIsaac.
The fire was extinguished without injuries, and Nassar was taken into custody.
He entered a plea of not guilty two days later on June 18, and court records show his bond was set at $30,000.
He remains held at the Wayne County Jail after the bond was continued by a judge earlier this week.
Liberace house gained notoriety, but languished on real estate market
Known as “Lion Gate Estate,” the 3,200-square-foot home had been a local curiosity ever since it was listed for sale in 2018.
Despite the notoriety, when Nassar put the house on the market, it never sold.
The listing was removed in 2019, later reappeared in 2021, and only recently sold in the past year.
Financial records show that Nassar took out a reverse mortgage for nearly $300,000 back in 2015.
In May, a complaint was filed against him by Mortgage Assets Management, a firm specializing in financial services.
Court dockets also indicate that Nassar failed to appear at a court hearing scheduled for the morning of June 16—the same day the fire occurred.
He missed a second hearing on June 30, which likely resulted from his continued detention.
A default judgment was issued that day, and the case was closed.
Husband accused of covering up wife’s homicide with fire
In another disturbing case involving fire and tragedy, authorities in Southern California have charged a man with murder after a house fire led to the discovery of his estranged wife’s body.
Prosecutors say 62-year-old Yoon Lai is now facing charges of murder and arson following the January 6 death of his wife, 56-year-old Dr. Irene Gaw-Gonzalo, who was found outside their San Marino residence.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Lai allegedly set fire to their shared home in what is believed to be an effort to cover up the killing.
The couple had reportedly been in the midst of divorce proceedings at the time. Gaw-Gonzalo had filed for divorce from Lai in August 2024.
The Los Angeles Times noted it was the second time she had taken legal steps to separate, following a similar filing in 2003.
Sheriff’s investigators from Los Angeles County began looking into the death shortly after the blaze.
Due to the severity of the burns on Gaw-Gonzalo’s body, the coroner was unable to determine a definitive cause of death. Her manner of death was officially listed as undetermined.
Further examination revealed signs of additional trauma, prompting detectives to open a homicide investigation.
“The violent death of Dr. Irene Gaw-Lai is heartbreaking and deeply disturbing,” said District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman.
“She was not only a respected physician and business leader, but a mother who deserved safety and dignity in her own home. We will not rest until the person responsible for this senseless tragedy is held fully accountable.”
At the time of the fire, Lai told investigators he had just returned to the residence after taking the couple’s twin teenagers to baseball practice. Emergency crews were called to the home around 9:45 a.m.
KABC reported that neighbors confirmed the couple had been in the process of separating.
Detectives served 25 search warrants as part of their investigation before arresting Lai on July 3.
Lai has pleaded not guilty to both murder and arson charges. He is currently being held on $2.25 million bail. His next court hearing is scheduled for August 12.
