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LISBON -- The man accused of being the driver in a Lisbon fatal shooting in March is now facing more serious charges, including complicity to aggravated murder, complicity to murder and two firearm specifications.
Christopher Mills, 43, Washington Street, Washingtonville, was served Tuesday with a secret indictment issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury last week for the complicity counts and firearm specifications related to the March 3 shooting death of Rusty Steele, 40, of Lisbon.
Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito J. Abruzzino announced the new 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 if convicted, which is life in prison.
County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam set a bond of $1 million for Mills for the new charges. Arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 31.
Mills had already been jailed under a $50,000 cash or surety bond for a third-degree felony charge of obstructing justice for allegedly providing transportation to Blower, who's charged with aggravated murder and murder, both with firearms specifications, for allegedly causing Steele's death. He's set to face a jury trial Jan. 23, with a final status hearing on Dec. 18 and an interim status hearing on Oct. 16.
Mills is set to face a status hearing at 11 a.m. Sept. 7, with a jury trial set for Sept. 18, both for the obstruction charge.
According to Abruzzino, the new charges against Mills are based on additional evidence from the ongoing investigation, including digital and electronic information that took time to collect and review.
He credited the work of the Lisbon Police Department for their investigation in this case. Lisbon Police Chief Mike Abraham said Detective Neil Clark has been working on the investigation with members of the prosecutor's office. He said Clark has been doing a good job and also credited the work of the prosecutor's office.
"It's still under investigation and I hope some more charges will come out of it," Abraham said.
The day after the shooting, Abraham said the investigation revealed that Steele was lured out of his girlfriend's house by a stranger who said he was having car trouble and needed help. When Steele went outside to start his vehicle for a jump, he was shot in the chest, allegedly by Blower who Abraham said confessed.
The affidavit filed in the case in county Municipal Court against Mills for the obstruction charge said, "Through the investigation, it was learned that Christopher Mills provided Blower with transportation to and from the murder scene and was aware that Blower had shot Steele when he provided the transportation. Mills later admitted to providing transportation to Blower. 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. Christopher Mills never reported the crime or incident to law enforcement. Officers only learned of Mills' involvement through witnesses."
mgreier@mojonews.com