Police say an argument over food preparation escalated before Kenneth Erwin Thomas was fatally stabbed at his Hazel Park home.
HAZEL PARK, Mich. — A 62-year-old Detroit man has been charged with second-degree murder after police said he fatally stabbed his sister’s 60-year-old boyfriend during a Labor Day barbecue following an argument over how chicken should be cooked.
Cleo Lawson is accused in the Sept. 7 death of Kenneth Erwin Thomas at a home in Hazel Park, a Detroit suburb in Oakland County. Lawson was arraigned Sept. 10 and ordered held without bond at the Oakland County Jail. Police said the dispute began during a barbecue hosted by Thomas and his live-in girlfriend, who is Lawson’s sister.
Hazel Park police said officers were called at about 5:20 p.m. to a home in the 1600 block of East Granet Avenue for a reported stabbing. Thomas and his girlfriend had been hosting the gathering when a disagreement developed between Thomas and Lawson over preparing the food. Police said the dispute centered on “how the chicken was to be cooked” before the confrontation escalated.
Investigators allege Lawson stabbed Thomas during the confrontation. Officers and other first responders found Thomas with life-threatening injuries and attempted to provide medical care, according to police. Thomas died at the scene despite those efforts. Authorities have not publicly described the specific weapon allegedly used in the stabbing.
Lawson was taken into custody as police opened a homicide investigation. The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office later authorized a warrant charging him with one count of second-degree murder. The charge is an allegation, and Lawson has not been convicted in connection with Thomas’ death.
Police released additional details about the case Sept. 14, a week after the killing. Local news organizations, including CBS Detroit, FOX 2 Detroit and WWJ, reported the same account provided by Hazel Park police: Thomas and his girlfriend were holding the Labor Day barbecue when the disagreement over cooking chicken developed between Thomas and Lawson and turned violent.
Lawson appeared for arraignment before Magistrate Michael G. Mitchell, according to court information reported by Law&Crime. He was denied bond and remained in the Oakland County Jail. His next scheduled proceeding is a probable cause conference on Sept. 22 before 43rd District Judge Brian Hartwell.
A preliminary examination is expected to follow the probable cause conference the next week, according to the reported court schedule. At this stage of the case, prosecutors are proceeding on the second-degree murder allegation, while the circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain subject to court proceedings and further investigation.
Authorities have not publicly released a more detailed account of how the disagreement escalated, including what was said immediately before the violence or whether other guests witnessed the entire confrontation. Police also have not announced additional charges in connection with the case.
Lawson remained jailed without bond as of the latest reports. The Sept. 22 probable cause conference is the next publicly reported step in the case, and no finding of guilt has been made.
Author note: Last updated September 17, 2026.