LISBON –The man identified as the alleged driver involved in the 2021 murder of Brycen Douglas in East Liverpool admitted his guilt on Monday to amended charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence, along with a charge of obstructing justice.

As part of the plea agreement, Travis W. Kidder, 26, Bradshaw Avenue, East Liverpool, won’t face a charge of aggravated murder or complicity in the commission of an offense, with both charges to be dismissed.

But he will have to testify and be truthful in the case against Curtis Holland, who prosecutors identified as one of the two shooters accused of killing Douglas. Columbiana County Assistant Prosecutor Steve Yacovone said he’ll be recommending a sentence of up to eight years and requested the sentencing be scheduled after Holland’s trial, which is set for Oct. 5.

During the plea hearing in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, Judge Megan Bickerton ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 9:20 p.m. Oct. 19.

Kidder was accompanied by his defense attorney, James Wise, and was in the custody of sheriff’s deputies. Yacovone and county Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Weeda represented the prosecution.

The first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter charge was amended from an unclassified felony of murder. The third-degree felony tampering with evidence charge was amended from an unclassified felony of complicity in the commission of an offense. The obstructing justice charge is also a third-degree felony.

Yacovone explained that Kidder agreed to cooperate in the investigation as part of a cooperation agreement that’s part of the plea agreement. Another defendant in the death of Douglas made a similar agreement last year and testified against the other shooter in the case.

Kidder was originally charged with just a third-degree felony of obstructing justice for allegedly lying on July 22, 2021 to investigators related to the murder, but then was served with a superseding indictment charging him with the obstructing count, along with aggravated murder and murder and two counts of complicity in the commission of an offense, all unclassified felonies, and three firearm specifications, all related to the shooting on July 15, 2021.

Wise said his client understood the rights he was giving up by entering a plea and waived those right.

Bickerton asked him several questions and explained to him the possible penalties he could face, with a possible maximum of 17 years to 22 1/2 years in prison

He remains jailed under a $1 million cash or surety bond.

Douglas was just 20 years old at the time of his death and was sitting on a porch with some friends in East Liverpool’s east end when he was shot.

One of the shooters, Elvin EJ Tisdale, was sentenced in June 2025 to life in prison without the possibility of parole for aggravated murder (with the murder charge merged for sentencing), plus an additional mandatory three years for a firearm specification and an additional three years for having weapons under disability for being prohibited from having or using a gun due to a previous felony conviction for drugs.

His “cousin” Allen Tisdale, was sentenced to at least 10 years in prison in July 2025 after testifying in the trial against EJ. He entered a guilty plea in May 2025 to involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, and complicity to improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation, a second-degree felony. He was originally facing charges of aggravated murder and murder, but eventually told investigators what happened and agreed to testify as part of a plea deal.

He testified at EJ’s trial and said that EJ and Curtis Holland walked between two houses across the street from the porch in question and opened fire, hitting Douglas. Allan said he was the lookout and he identified Travis Kidder as the driver who brought them all to the area near Pennsylvania Avenue.

The case against Holland, 30, Dewey Avenue, East Liverpool, remains pending, with a status hearing set for 1 p.m. June 10.

Holland was charged last year with aggravated murder and murder, both unclassified felonies, a third-degree felony of having weapons while under disability and two firearm specifications. He’s accused of causing Brycen’s 2021 death and using a weapon when he was prohibited from having or using a gun due to a previous drug conviction. He’s also held in jail under a $1 million cash or surety bond.

mgreier@mojonews.com