LISBON — A jury trial remains set June 2 in the aggravated murder case against Daniel C. Whitley for the May 2025 shooting death of James Powell, but with another status hearing set for 1:40 p.m. May 8.

Whitley, 34, Wilbert Avenue, East Liverpool, appeared in the custody of Columbiana County sheriff deputies before county Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton. He was accompanied by his defense attorney, Thomas Will.

Bickerton said she was told the case remains unresolved.

The jury trial reset for 9 a.m. June 2.

Whitley is charged with aggravated murder, murder, two firearm specifications and tampering with evidence and he remains jailed under a $1 million cash or surety bond. During a preliminary hearing in county Municipal Court, testimony from two East Liverpool police officers detailed Whitley’s alleged toxic relationship with the victim, about video evidence of him allegedly saying the victim’s girlfriend, who had children with Whitley, was going to watch the victim die and about gun and bullet evidence.

The charges of aggravated murder and murder are both unclassified felonies, with the aggravated murder carrying a possible maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Each of the firearm specifications carry mandatory three-year prison terms. The tampering with evidence charge is a third-degree felony which carries a possible sentence of up to 36 months in prison.

Whitley was taken into custody the night of the shooting on May 15, 2025 in East Liverpool after being found hiding under the porch of a residence.

The victim, Powell, was 58 years old at the time of his death, found with one gunshot wound to the chest after police were called at 6:25 p.m. to a shooting at the Woodland Hills apartments at Eutaw and Montrose streets.