An Ohio man living out of his car has been arrested and charged with murder after he walked up to cops an told them he shot dead his friend in what authorities say is an ‘unusual’ case.
Brian E. Mason, 58, was caught on body camera footage telling police in Miamisburg, Ohio that he accidentally shot dead his friend, Michelle L. Elliott, 57, while demonstrating how to use his .40-caliber gun on March 26.
‘I was showing an old friend of mine how to use this gun that she asked for and it went off, and I shot her in the chest,’ Mason told officers very matter-of-factly.
Miami County deputies were then dispatched to North Montgomery County Line Road in rural Union Township, where they found Elliott sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound.
Elliott has since been arraigned on murder charges and is being held on a $1million bond, WHIO reports, as authorities continue to investigate Elliott’s death.
Brian E. Mason, 58, told Miamisburg police officers on March 27 he fatally shot his friend Michelle L. Elliott, 57, the day before
Mason has been arraigned on murder charges and is being held on a $1million bond
Police body camera footage posted online shows Mason approaching an officer outside of the Miamisburg Police Department on March 27.
‘I’m here to turn myself in,’ he tells the officer as he approaches in a blue sweatshirt and carrying a water bottle.
He then tells the officer about the accident, and says he ‘has ben running around scared’ ever since.
The officer then asks what happened to his friend as he places Mason in handcuffs, to which Mason says, ‘They’re deceased,’ and that he is unaware if any others knew about her death.
At that point, officers dispatched sheriff’s deputies to Elliott’s home to conduct a welfare check.
When they arrived, WHIO reports, there was no response at the door, prompting the deputies to look through a window, where they saw blood.
The deputies then forced entry into the house, and found Elliott’s body on the floor between the living room and kitchen.
Deputies then rushed to the Miamisburg Police Department to question Mason, who allegedly told officers he had been living in his car and was helping Elliott with something at her house when the shooting occurred.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by the Dayton Daily News further notes that he said Elliott had told him she ‘wanted a different firearm to have at her household because she felt unsafe,’ so he showed her his .40-caliber handgun.
Following the fatal shooting, he said, he panicked, covered Elliott’s body in a blanket and left in a pickup truck.
He then spent the night driving around Montgomery County, parking in various gas stations, before going to the Miamisburg Police Department almost 24 hours later.
Sheriff’s deputies rushed to Elliott’s house on North Montgomery County Line Road in rural Union Township where they found her body lying dead on the ground
Mason said he decided to turn himself in in body camera footage posted online
Mason was detained at the scene as police officers sent sheriff’s deputies to investigate his claims
An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, with Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak telling WHIO the department has not received any calls of violence at the address.
He said the case was ‘unusual’ given Mason’s apparent confession, but authorities are continuing to look into his and Elliott’s relationship.
Mason had just said they were friends from high school.
Once the investigation is complete, a case will be presented to the Miami County Prosecutors’ Office for review of formal charges.
In the meantime, anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call (937) 440 – 3965.
