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LISBON -- County sheriff's deputies investigating a reported missing person Friday night found that man dead in a pile of trash, while another Hillcrest Road, Wellsville man, reportedly confessed to the alleged shooting.
According to Sheriff Ray Stone, deputies received a call from Brooke Gibson of Cleveland, who said they had not heard from their friend, Scottie Johnson, for the past couple days. Gibson and others went to a home on Hillcrest Road to try to find him. She told deputies she saw evidence of a possible crime inside.
Deputies spoke to homeowner, Terry Brown, to ask him if he had any information about Johnson, who was also reportedly a roommate of Brown. Deputies were given permission to look around the inside of the home and found what appeared to be blood droppings on the floor. After investigating further, deputies found Johnson deceased and in a trash pile next to the house.
After being interviewed by a detective, Brown, 47, Hillcrest Road, was charged with murder at 1:45 a.m. Saturday. Brown appeared by video from the county jail for arraignment in county Municipal Court on Monday morning, where bond was set at $1 million cash or surety. He remains in custody and a preliminary hearing was scheduled before Judge Mark Frost on March 20.
Court documents state Brown confessed to shooting Johnson in the head on Wednesday. Stone confirmed investigators found a gun believed to be the one used in the shooting when they were at the home on Friday night. The Bureau of Criminal Investigations was called to the scene to help with collection of evidence on Friday night. Investigators from the sheriff's office with a warrant went back to the house on Monday to look for additional evidence.
According to Stone, drug use is believed connected to the case, although no drugs were found in the home by the time investigators went to the house at about 9:07 p.m. Friday. Stone said it was obvious someone had tried to clean up some of the evidence. Gibson's last phone conversation with Johnson was said to be at least two days before she became concerned about him. Stone said it is still unknown for certain how long Johnson was dead in the home.
Brandi Phillips, investigator for the coroner's office, confirmed the body has been sent to the Cuyahoga County coroner's office for an autopsy. On Monday evening, Phillips was awaiting a call from the pathologist conducting the autopsy, which should confirm the suspected cause of death and provide more information as to how long Johnson was dead before deputies located him.
Stone confirmed the house on Hillcrest Road where this alleged murder occurred was the same home where another man was allegedly shot in the knee in January. In that case, Marcel D. Brown, 30, of Cleveland, is charged in county Common Pleas Court with complicity to felonious assault and Antwain B. Shepherd, 28, of Cleveland, has been indicted on felonious assault charge with a firearm specification.
Investigators allege James L. Cunningham Jr. was threatened about some stolen money, had his head held into the toilet and was shot in the knee.
djohnson@mojonews.com