Second man sentenced in shooting death of Toledoan

3/1/2010
BLADE STAFF

The second of two men charged with crimes associated with the Aug. 4 shooting death of a Toledo man was sentenced Monday to four years in prison.

James Ellis III, 30, of 5910 Spring Hollow Drive pleaded no contest in Lucas County Common Pleas Court Jan. 29 to one count each of obstructing justice and carrying a concealed weapon. Authorities said he was there the night that Colin Fisher was shot.

Fisher later died on the porch of a Springfield Township home.

Judge Stacy Cook sentenced Ellis to three years in prison for obstructing justice and one year for the weapons charge, to run consecutively.

Authorities said in the hours after his acquaintance shot Mr. Fisher, Ellis hindered the investigation by attempting to create an alibi and by helping to hide the murder weapon. Two days after his arrest, Ellis helped investigators.

Mr. Fisher, 23, died Aug. 4 of a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. The man who pulled the trigger, Scott Schoch, pleaded no contest to murder and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.