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LISBON -- A jury trial remains set Jan. 23 for Michael Blower, the man charged with aggravated murder in the March 3 shooting death of Rusty Steele in Lisbon.
"We have nothing to report today," Columbiana County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Weikart told the judge.
Blower, 32, Newgarden Avenue, Salem, appeared in county Common Pleas Court Monday before Judge Megan Bickerton. Weikart said if it becomes necessary, they'll contact the court about setting up a status hearing before the trial.
During a previous hearing, attorneys appeared to indicate they were working on a resolution.
Blower, who remains jailed under a $1.5 million bond, was accompanied by his defense attorneys, Lou DeFabio and Holly Hanni. Weikart was there with county Assistant Prosecutor Alec Beech. Family members for both the accused and the victim were in the courtroom for the brief status hearing.
Charges pending against Blower include aggravated murder and murder, both with firearms specifications, for allegedly causing the death of Steele, 40, who resided on Harvey Avenue, Lisbon at the time of the shooting.
He was found with a gunshot wound to the chest on West Spruce Street the night of March 3. Blower turned himself in on March 4 and allegedly confessed to shooting Steele. An affidavit filed in the case against Blower said 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.
After the shooting, Lisbon Police Chief Mike Abraham said 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."
When Steele went outside and was seated in his vehicle, he was allegedly approached by Blower, who shot him.
Another man charged in the case, Christopher Mills, 43, Washington Street, Washingtonville, is expected in court today for an interim status hearing at 9:30 a.m. before Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam. He's charged with complicity to aggravated murder and murder in Steele's death. He's also charged with a third-degree felony of obstruction of justice. Mills is accused of aiding Blower in the murder and giving him a ride to and from the scene of the shooting.
mgreier@mojonews.com