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Murder warrant is issued in Warren shooting

WARREN — A murder warrant was issued Tuesday for a man police said should be considered armed and dangerous as they continued searching for him in connection to the Friday shooting death of a man and the apparent abduction of a women who is still missing.

Shawn Johnson, 49, was living at 2313 Stephens Ave. NW, the address where John Paul Kellar, 41, was shot to death, according to court and police records. The house is owned by Patricia Butch Binion, according to records with the Trumbull County Auditor, and neighbors said the missing woman, Alicia Marie Binion, 36, lived at the home.

The two were seen in a stolen white 1993 GMC high top van, said Warren police detective Nick Carney. Carney distributed a wanted poster that states Johnson should be considered armed and dangerous, has no identifiable scars or marks, is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs about 220 pounds.

As of late Tuesday, authorities continued to actively search for Johnson and Binion, Warren police said.

A woman said she was forced into her own van following the shooting but got out a short time later while Johnson was in Rocky’s AM PM Market on West Market Street in Warren, according to a 911 call placed Friday.

The woman, Tabitha Powell, ran from the convenience store to a home across the street and asked the resident to call 911, according to the call released by the Trumbull County 911 Center.

Powell can be heard sobbing in the background while answering dispatcher questions through the woman who called and asked for an ambulance for Kellar.

“She is afraid (the shooter) is going to come after her,” the caller told dispatchers.

Police said the motive for the shooting, where Kellar was shot and other details are either unknown or are being withheld as detectives focus on trying to find Binion. Police are hesitant to release any information that might endanger Binion, Carney said.

Powell was engaged to Kellar, a father of six, according to his obituary.

Neighbors said Kellar was often at the Stephens Avenue NW home with Powell and Binion.

rfox@tribtoday.com

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