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LISBON -- An expected arraignment for a second man indicted in a murder case in Columbiana County was continued for one week on Thursday.
Christopher J. Mills, 42, Washington Street, Washingtonville, appeared via video in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court before Judge Scott Washam and was declared indigent. Mills, however, notified the court he had retained counsel who was not present. Washam then issued a continuance, setting a new arraignment hearing for Aug. 7 when Mills can enter a plea with his attorney, D. Coleman Bond, who is representing Mills on a previous charge related to the case.
Mills is facing multiple charges in the March shooting death of Rusty Steele, 40, of Lisbon, including complicity to aggravated murder, complicity to murder and firearm specifications charges. Already indicted in the case was 31-year-old Michael J. Blower, of Salem, for aggravated murder, murder and firearm specifications.
Mills had already been charged with third-degree felony charge of obstructing justice for allegedly providing transportation to Blower to and from the scene of the fatal Lisbon shooting, and was being held on $50,000 cash or surety when he was served Aug. 14 with a secret indictment issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury for the complicity counts and firearm specifications related to the shooting. Washam set a bond of $1 million for Mills for the new charges.
Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito J. Abruzzino announced the additional charges in a press release, noting that "Mills is charged with aiding and abetting Michael J. Blower, 31, of Salem, in the murder of Steele, who was shot in front of a residence on West Spruce Street in Lisbon."
Abruzzino explained Mills will be facing the same possible punishment that Blower's facing -- life in prison -- if convicted.
At 10:32 p.m. March 3, Lisbon police officers were called for a shooting on West Spruce Street where they found Steele facedown in the street with a gunshot wound to the chest. He died at the scene and through their investigation, contact was made with Blower, who turned himself in the day after the shooting and allegedly confessed to shooting Steele. An affidavit filed in the case against Blower says he and Steele had been arguing by phone all evening. Steele had children with Blower's wife. The night of the shooting, Steele was at his girlfriend's home on West Spruce Street, Lisbon.
According to Lisbon Police Chief Mike Abraham, officers "learned Mr. Steele was lured out of the house when someone knocked on the door and said their car broke down and wanted to know if he could give them a jump."
The victim did not know the person but went out to his own vehicle, a Cadillac SUV, and started it up. That's when he was allegedly approached by Blower, who shot him while he was still seated in the vehicle. The victim managed to exit the vehicle and fell in the street.
Blower was arraigned in May with his trial set to begin Jan. 23, 2024.
According to the affidavit filed in the case in county Municipal Court against Mills for the obstruction, Mills admitted to providing transportation to Blower and video surveillance confirms that Mills was transporting Blower to the area of East Palestine an hour after the murder, while law enforcement was out looking for Blower. Mills never reported the crime or incident to law enforcement and officers only learned of Mills' involvement through the investigation.
selverd@mojonews.com