BREAKING NEWS | Jurors find Michael Burns guilty in accomplice's death

WARREN — Jurors this afternoon found Michael S. Burns guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of fellow burglar Terry Allen and guilty of attempted aggravated burglary in the July 12 Niles break-in that led to Allen’s death.

Burns was on trial this week in the courtroom of Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court, charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter and attempted aggravated burglary.

Burns, 33, of Mineral Ridge, will be sentenced Jan. 14.

Burns admitted during a videotaped interview with Niles police that he, Allen, 37, and Allen’s wife Nichole, 35, of Mineral Ridge; Scott Crislip, 18, of Niles; and Mindy Sierra, 32, of Niles, planned and participated in the attempted break-in.

Burns said he, Terry Allen and Crislip tried to break into the house’s side door, then front door. They thought the home was vacant, but resident Roy Hahn woke up to noises and fired a shotgun blast through the door, killing Allen.

Nichole Allen and Sierra dropped off the three men but were waiting at a coffee shop for them to complete the job and pick them back up, Burns said.

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