LIBERTY — A Keefer Road man was arraigned Monday in Girard Municipal Court on a murder charge in connection with the shooting death Sunday night of a 31-year-old man who was reported to be his roommate.

Felix Olverson, 55, of 1474 Keefer Road, pleaded not guilty to the first-degree felony when he appeared via video link from the Trumbull County jail. Judge Jeff Adler set a preliminary hearing for 9 a.m. Sept. 9.

Olverson was arrested after the late-night shooting on his porch.

The victim, identified as William B. Ross, died after being shot in the chest shortly before 11 p.m., according to police Chief Toby Meloro.

Meloro said the shooting may have resulted from a disagreement.

The Trumbull County Coroner’s office confirmed that an autopsy on Ross will be performed today.

According to Trumbull County 911 reports, the shooting occurred on the porch of the Olverson home. A caller to 911 said the suspect was outside walking his dog, a German shepherd.

The shooter then fled on foot northbound through the backyards on Keefer, according to 911 reports.

Weathersfield and Liberty police set up a perimeter at Tibbetts Wick and Shannon roads, and at Tibbetts Wick and Naylor Lloyd Road. Girard police setup a roadblock at Shannon and Cheyenne roads.

Authorities believed the man was armed and headed to a Brookfield Road address. The 911 report states that no firearm was found at the shooting scene.

But Olverson was apprehended behind 1470 Keefer Road about 12:50 a.m. Monday, about 90 minutes after the shooting, according to a 911 report.

“It’s never good to have a death, but this case was easy to solve,” Meloro said.

Olverson remains in jail with no bond, according to court records.

Girard Municipal Court records show that Olverson appeared in three criminal cases over the last three years.

In June 2020, he paid fines and costs after being convicted of a disorderly conduct / intoxication charge.

A warrant was issued for Olverson in June because he did not pay fines and costs for a 2019 conviction on an open container in a vehicle charge.

Records show on Aug. 1, 2018, Olverson was fined after pleading no contest to a charge of failure to restrain a dog. In that case on May 10, 2018, police were called to a Keefer Road address where the woman said she was outside with her small Schnauzer when Olverson’s German shepherd came charging over and pinned her dog to the ground. In the struggle, the woman was bit on the lower right leg by Olverson’s dog, the report states.