Ex-con found shot dead at Warren street corner

Police said they heard about 15 shots fired before the victim's body was found.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A 34-year-old man who served a lengthy prison stretch for shooting at a city police officer has been killed.
Ruben Gunther, who has a Dayton address but has been staying with relatives on the Southeast Side, was found shortly after midnight Thursday outside Fairview Gardens apartments.
Detective Jeffrey Hoolihan said Gunther was found dead at Duke and Van Wye streets.
Hoolihan said that two city police officers were on patrol and heard about 15 shots fired in the area of the apartments.
About the same time, the detective explained, the police dispatcher received a call of shots being fired in the same area, and officers were sent.
Gunther was found lying face down at the end of Van Wye at Duke with multiple gunshot wounds. A motive for the shooting has not been determined.
1991 shooting
In 1991, Hoolihan said, Gunther was convicted of shooting at him, resulting in an 18-year prison sentence.
Hoolihan said he had just gotten off duty when Gunther robbed a taxi driver. Hoolihan responded in his truck when Gunther was spotted carrying a gun.
At Spring and Main streets, Gunther was cornered, and shots were exchanged.
Hoolihan said bullets fired from Gunther's gun struck the passenger door, windshield, dashboard and cab window of his truck. No one was injured during the shootout.
Gunther also was sentenced in October 2004 in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court for drug trafficking, and in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court for felonious assault. He was released March 1, 2006, according to the Ohio Department of Corrections.
Hoolihan said the department is following up on tips being called in about Gunther's death.
The Trumbull County coroner's office has not ruled on the death.
If it is ruled a homicide, it would be the second in the city this year. There weren't any homicides at this time in 2006.
yovich@vindy.com