Warren man, 20, convicted in killing

By Ed Runyan

Oryan Miller faces a term of 18 years to life in prison.

WARREN — Oryan Miller showed no emotion as Judge Andrew Logan announced a jury had convicted him of helping two others kill Cameron Murray and burglarize Murray’s Howland apartment Dec. 23, 2008.

Only four family members and friends of the victim and defendant were present Friday afternoon in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to hear the verdict — two for Murray and two for Miller. All four filed out quickly after the verdict without talking to the media.

Meanwhile, for more than 12 hours spread out over three days, the jury of eight women and four men deliberated Miller’s fate, with deliberations becoming sometimes heated, observers said.

Their task was to determine whether physical evidence gathered at the apartment by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and testimony from Michael Ahladis were enough to prove that Miller had willingly participated in the crimes.

The apartment is on Sandpiper Trail just off of East Market Street, west of Howland High School.

Atty. Sarah Kovoor, who represented Miller, 20, of Hall Street Northwest, told jurors in opening statements that Miller’s blood at the crime scene shows that he was there, but Miller either wasn’t a willing participant in the murder-burglary or didn’t know those crimes were about to happen.

But jurors never heard that version of events from Miller, who didn’t testify during the trial or have any other witnesses testify on his behalf.

Instead, jurors heard testimony over five days from crime-scene investigators about blood, bullets and guns and heard his alleged co-conspirator, Ahladis, describe Miller as a fully knowledgeable participant.

Ahladis, 24, of Jefferson Street Southwest, said he dropped off Miller and Delshawn Scrivens, 25, of Wood Street Southwest, at Murray’s apartment to carry out a quick robbery, but Murray showed up at the apartment unexpectedly.

Ahladis said Scrivens, who later died at a hospital, called him on a cell phone, saying he and Miller had been shot, so Ahladis drove back and picked them up.

Miller suffered a gunshot wound to the buttocks.

On Dec. 1, Judge Logan will sentence Miller to at least 18 years to life in prison for complicity to murder with a specification that he used a gun in the crime. Judge Logan also could give Miller up to 10 additional mandatory years in prison for being convicted of two counts of complicity to aggravated burglary, said Chuck Morrow, an assistant county prosecutor.

The jury acquitted Miller on two counts of complicity to aggravated robbery.

Morrow said the two counts of complicity to aggravated burglary relate to causing physical harm during a robbery and having a deadly weapon during the crime.

Ahladis pleaded guilty to reduced charges of involuntary manslaughter, complicity to aggravated burglary and tampering with evidence in exchange for his testimony against Miller and will be sentenced to 13 to 23 years in prison at 9 a.m. Dec. 10 by Judge John M. Stuard.

runyan@vindy.com