Man charged with murder after woman found shot to death in Miami Co. home

MIAMI COUNTY — An arrest has been made after a 57-year-old woman was found dead in a home in Miami County Monday.

Deputies were dispatched to the 11000 block of North Montgomery County Line Road in Union Township on a welfare check around 7:30 p.m.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Woman found dead inside of Miami Co. home; homicide investigation launched

Brian E. Mason, 58, Union, walked into the Miamisburg Police Department and told the officers he had shot a woman Sunday evening and wanted to report it, Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak told News Center 7 Tuesday.

Upon deputies’ arrival at the home, they received no response. Deputies looked through a window, and blood was seen, and deputies forced entry into the house where Michelle L. Elliott, 57, was found dead, suffering what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Elliot lived at the residence, according to Duchak.

After conducting the welfare check, Miami County Sheriff detectives traveled to the Miamisburg Police Department to interview Mason.

>> Celina bus driver and aid resign after preschooler was left on bus for three hours

During the initial investigation, detectives uncovered that Mason and Elliott had a platonic friendship since childhood; however, detectives are still looking into their relationship to discover more details.

The home is located in a rural part of Miami County, close to both Darke and Montgomery counties.

“We rarely have any calls up there. When we do, there’s nothing. We have no call history of any violence or anything at that address, just some minor nuisance-type calls. There’s no history of violence or anything like that,” Duchak said.

>> Centerville woman admitted to sexual relationship with 14-year-old boy, records say

Mason told detectives he was living in his car and had been helping Elliot with something at the house, at which time detectives understand the shooting had occurred.

Detectives await a search warrant to search Mason’s car for additional evidence connected to the shooting.

“We rarely have homicides in this county. The few we do, usually, they’re just really unusual circumstances. And this seems to be more of those cases,” Duchak said

>> UPDATE: Suspect injured after hitting car, tree during chase with police

Mason was taken into custody at the Miamisburg Police Department, transported, and booked into the Miami County Jail. He was arraigned this morning on murder charges with bond set at $1,000,000.

The investigation is ongoing at this time. Once it is completed, the case will be presented to the Miami County Prosecutors’ office for review of formal charges.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Miami County Sheriff’s Office detective section at 937-440-3965.

News Center 7 will continue updating this story as we learn more.

©2023 Cox Media Group