Braceville man convicted in 1977 Warren murder and Lucasville uprising dies in prison

Staff report

WARREN

Funeral services were Feb. 8 for Braceville Township native Orson W. Wells, 66, who was convicted of a 1977 Warren murder and six counts of kidnapping in the 1993 Lucasville, Ohio, prison riot and died Jan. 28 of a heart attack in prison.

Wells was convicted of shooting to death Ted Wade, 20, and attempting to kill Mark A. Dukes, 18, in the Ebony Lounge on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Southwest on March 16, 1977.

Wade had played football at Youngstown State University and Howland High School. Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins said Wade “was attempting to be a peacemaker in an argument between Dukes and Wells when he was murdered.”

Watkins opposed parole for Wells a year ago, when Wells was 65 and had served 41 years in prison.

Wells’ daughter, Teletha Provitt of Columbus, disputed some of the facts Watkins presented to the Ohio Parole Board regarding her father, including that he was still dangerous at 65. The parole board refused to release him.

Wells’ obituary says he died of cardiac arrest at Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus. The hospital partners with the state prison system to provide medical care to inmates.

Wells was a 1971 graduate of LaBrae High School, his obituary says. Living relatives included his wife, three sisters, three brothers and two daughters, including Provitt, his obituary says. Preceding him in death were a brother, son and daughter.