Aggravated murder trial starts in Warren case

WARREN

The aggravated murder trial of Shawn Hope, 51, also known as Shawn Johnson, has begun in the courtroom of Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court with opening statements and testimony from a witness.

The witness, Tabitha Powell, was the fiance of John P. Keller, 41, the man who was killed Dec. 2, 2016, at a home on Stephens Avenue Northwest.

Hope is charged with killing Keller and kidnapping Powell and Alicia Binion, whose father owned the Stephens home.

Powell, Keller and Binion were all staying at the Stephens address at the time. Hope was a friend of Binion's, Powell testified. He had been at the Stephens address about five or six times, Powell said, including the night before.

The day of the shooting, Hope knocked on the door, came in and immediately walked up to Keller and shot him twice, Powell said.

The trial will resume at 1 p.m. Tuesday with Powell back on the witness stand. A jury of seven women and five men is hearing the case.