Man in jail after pleading innocent in pal’s shooting

Staff report

BROOKFIELD

Ryan Wrightsman, 21, of Farmdale is being held in the Trumbull County jail in lieu of $1 million bond on a second-degree murder charge in the Tuesday night shooting death of his friend, Joshua Soles, 20.

On Thursday, an innocent plea was entered for Wrightsman on the murder charge, a second- degree felony punishable by up to eight years in prison.

The hearing took place in the county Eastern District Court.

Wrightsman entered innocent pleas to three misdemeanor charges related to his arrest — possessing drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct and marijuana possession.

He is scheduled to return to Eastern District Court at 10 a.m. Nov. 10.

Wrightsman, Soles and a third friend were drinking throughout the day and using marijuana at Soles’ home at 7480 state Route 7 in Vernon Township when Wrightsman and Soles got into an argument, which preceded the shooting, police said.

Soles was hit with one gunshot to the upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Trumbull County Sheriff Thomas Altiere said the three men had been friends a long time and had gone to school together.