Judge: Statements admitted

STEUBENVILLE - Jefferson County Common Pleas Judge Joseph Bruzzese Jr. overruled a motion Friday to suppress statements given in a murder case scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

Travis Miller, 27, of Lisbon was indicted on single counts of aggravated murder and murder in connection with Sept. 21 shooting death of his father, Shelby F. Miller, 56, of 102 Boyce St., East Liverpool. Travis Miller also has been indicted on charges he stole his father's pickup truck and credit card.

Shelby F. Miller was shot once in the back of the head at a fishing spot along Yellow Creek off state Route 213, Hammondsville.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department believes both men were at the fishing spot when an altercation took place.

Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla said he received information from East Liverpool Police and the Columbiana County Sheriff's Department that Travis Miller's mother lived in Tennessee. Abdalla contacted the Morgan County Sheriff's Department in Tennessee about checking the residence for Travis Miller. The mother told Morgan County sheriff's deputies that Travis Miller was at a hospital in Oak Ridge, Tenn., Abdalla said. Oak Ridge Police went to the hospital and arrested Travis Miller.

Morgan County sheriff's deputies went back to the mother's house and found Shelby Miller's vehicle near the house.

Travis Miller's court-appointed attorney, David Vukelic, asked Bruzzese to suppress statements given by his client to Abdalla in Tennessee, claiming the statements were improperly obtained.

Abdalla and two other members of his department drove to Tennessee and interviewed Travis Miller in jail. Abdalla testified Miller signed a waiver of his rights form and refused an attorney at the beginning of the interview. The sheriff said he took notes and recorded the interview. Abdalla said Miller broke down at one point of the interview and admitted to shooting his father.

Miller then said he didn't do it and asked for an attorney, Abdalla said. At that point, the interview was stopped.

Miller was brought back to Jefferson County, and on Sept. 28, Miller asked to see the sheriff. During an interview, prior to which Miller again waived his rights, Miller signed the pages of notes the sheriff took on Sept. 26, in which Miller confessed to the shooting death, Abdalla said. By signing the pages of notes, Miller admitted he gave the sheriff the prior statement, the sheriff said.

Another taped statement was made on Sept. 29, but the waiver of rights form Abdalla said was signed by Miller has been misplaced and can't be located.

Assistant Prosecutor Jane Hanlin said there is forensic evidence linking Miller to the shooting death of his father, including gunshot residue on the steering wheel of the truck the Miller drove to Tennessee.

The murder weapon has never been recovered.

Also, prior to the suppression hearing, the preliminary hearing had to be restaged because the recorder in Toronto county court wasn't working. State law requires a taped preliminary hearing.

(Law can be contacted at mlaw@heraldstaronline.com.)