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Former deputy indicted in Boardman murder of father

Bruno

YOUNGSTOWN — Michael N. Bruno, 49, was indicted Thursday on charges of aggravated murder, murder and two gun specifications in the Sept. 17 shooting death of his father Michael J. Bruno, 74, at their home on Lealand Avenue in Boardman.

If he is convicted, he could get a life prison sentence.

A Boardman police report states that Michael N. Bruno told police in a 7:30 a.m. call to 911 that he shot his father, and he did it because “his illness made him do it.” It wasn’t clear what illness he was talking about.

He was sitting on the front lawn in boxer shorts, flip-flops and a polo shirt, with blood on his arms, head and shirt when officers arrived, the report states.

Bruno is a former deputy with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office who began as a reserve deputy in 1995 and became a full-time deputy in April 2000. He retired in November 2006.

Bruno tried to plead guilty and asked to go to mental health court during his arraignment last month in Mahoning County Area Court in Boardman.

Judge Joseph Houser told Bruno that his comments about mental health court and his guilt did not answer the questions the judge was asking, such as whether he understood the charges against him and whether he had anything to say about the amount of bond an assistant county prosecutor was recommending.

When Houser first addressed the defendant, who was arraigned by video from the Mahoning County jail, he asked whether Bruno understood that he is charged with offenses that could result in prison sentences of more than 10 years.

Bruno did not answer right away but eventually said, “I would like to go to mental health court.” But the judge told him an arraignment only deals with preliminary matters, saying, “We’re not quite there yet. Do you understand the charge, Mr. Bruno?”

“Yes,” Bruno replied.

Houser told Bruno the next hearing is a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is probable cause that he may have committed the crime. The judge asked Bruno if he wanted that hearing to take place in 10 days or sooner.

“Guilty,” Bruno replied.

“OK, it’s not a guilty plea at this point,” Houser told him.

A Boardman police report states Bruno told police he had been working as an unarmed security guard for the previous two weeks.

Assistant Prosecutor Katherine Jones asked that the judge hold Bruno in jail in lieu of $500,000 bond because of the type of crime involved. Houser set bond at $500,000, and Bruno remains in the Mahoning County jail.

OTHERS

Also indicted was Darnell R. Cross, 33, of Miami Avenue, on charges of abduction, two counts of attempted abduction and two counts of criminal child enticement.

The charges stem from an Aug. 16 incident in the 300 block of Willis Avenue on the South Side.

Police were called regarding a fight. When they got there, they saw a man holding a pipe in his hand, trying to attack another man, later identified as Cross, near the street.

The man holding the pipe told police that Cross assaulted his neighbor after Cross tried to kidnap his children, ages 3 and 8, from his property, a police report states.

Others indicted Thursday by a Mahoning County grand jury are:

• Kyle D. Taylor, 36, Mahoning County jail, two counts of domestic violence and two counts of aggravated menacing;

• Brandon J. Crespo, 25, Mahoning County jail, breaking and entering, safecracking, possessing criminal tools, attempted breaking and entering and criminal damaging or endangering;

• Prince Brown 37, Mahoning County jail, attempted aggravated murder and felonious assault;

• Kevin R. Johnson Jr., 36, West Princeton Avenue, cocaine trafficking;

• James E. Hunsbarger, 42, Jackson Street, Campbell, making terroristic threats, aggravated menacing and telecommunications harassment;

• Jabre D. Toomer, 30, Reynoldsburg, fentanyl related compound possession;

• Collett A. Shalvey, 41, Carlton Drive, Campbell, assault, obstructing official business and resisting arrest;

• Frank A. Napolitano III, 42, Mahoning County jail, aggravated drug possession, fentanyl related compound possession and possession of drug abuse instruments;

• Ceyanie D. Dubose Jr., 27, West Dennick Avenue, having weapons while not allowed, improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, and cocaine possession and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, both with a specification of forfeiture of money in a drug case;

• Tricia L. Cormell, 50, Traymore Drive, grand theft;

• Jason L. Blalock, 43, Carol Street, aggravated drug possession and falsification;

• Ryan M. Morris, 26, Mahoning County jail, aggravated drug possession, tampering with evidence, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia;

• Gerontios E. Ginnis, 25, Mahoning County jail, aggravated drug possession, tampering with evidence and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia;

• Guinevere V. Jaffe, 24, 44th Street, Ashtabula, aggravated drug possession, tampering with evidence and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia;

• Jermaine C. Bunn Jr., 25, Mahoning County jail, fentanyl related compound possession, having weapons while not allowed, improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, cocaine possession, aggravated drug possession, having weapons while not allowed and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle;

• Todd R. Ritchie, 45, Trumbull Correctional Institution, Leavittsburg, aggravated drug possession, fentanyl related compound possession and falsification;

• Caleb D. Steiner, 41, last known address, Market Street, North Lima, failure to provide notice of change of address.

erunyan@vindy.com

Former deputy indicted in Boardman murder of father

YOUNGSTOWN — Michael N. Bruno, 49, was indicted Thursday on aggravated murder, murder and two gun specifications in the Sept. 17 shooting death of his father Michael J. Bruno 74, at their home on Lealand Avenue in Boardman.

If he is convicted, he could get a life prison sentence.

A Boardman police report states that Michael N. Bruno told police in a 7:30 a.m. call to 911 that he shot his father, and he did it because “his illness made him do it.” It wasn’t clear what illness he was talking about.

He was sitting on the front lawn in boxer shorts, flip-flops and a polo shirt, with blood on his arms, head and shirt when officers arrived, the report states.

Bruno is a former deputy with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office who began as a reserve deputy in 1995 and became a full-time deputy in April 2000. He retired in November 2006.

Bruno tried to plead guilty and asked to go to mental health court during his arraignment last month in Mahoning County Area Court in Boardman.

Judge Joseph Houser told Bruno that his comments about mental health court and his guilt did not answer the questions the judge was asking, such as whether he understood the charges against him and whether he had anything to say about the amount of bond an assistant county prosecutor was recommending.

For more on this story and to see who else was indicted this week, read tomorrow’s Vindicator newspaper.

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