$1M bond set for man accused of fatal shooting in Hamilton bar parking lot

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

A $1 million bond was set Wednesday for a man accused of fatally shooting Tracy Miller outside a Hamilton bar early Sunday morning.

Ramello Devonte Mathews, 28, of North 10th Street, is charged with murder following his arrest Tuesday afternoon. Mathews was arraigned in Hamilton Municipal Court where Judge Dan Gattermeyer set his bond and scheduled a preliminary hearing for July 5, according to court officials.

Credit: Butler County Jail

Credit: Butler County Jail

Miller, 34, of Hamilton, died at a hospital following the shooting in the 1100 block of Dayton Street about 2:40 a.m. Sunday. Hamilton police confirmed the shooting and Miller’s aunt Angela Downard told the Journal-News he died of his injuries.

The shooting happened not far from the Dayton Lane Pub where Miller had been a patron, according to his family. He was “found unconscious in his vehicle with two gunshot wounds,” according to the police report.

On Monday, Hamilton Police Sgt. Brian Ungerbuehler confirmed Miller’s shooting was being investigated as a homicide.

An official determination of the cause of death is made by a coroner. Miller was scheduled to be autopsied Wednesday, according to Martin Schneider, Butler County Coroner’s Office administrator.

A male placed a 911 call telling the dispatcher, “We are at Dayton Lane Pub. Shots fired. Boy is in his car, I think he has been shot.”

The caller said the victim was not breathing well and the vehicle was parked in the lot behind the pub.

“We know from a witness that has reached out to family that there was an altercation, he fought back and was able to get out of the bar and was able to get to his car, “ Downard said. “We are under the impression that he recognized he was in a bad situation and tried to get out of there.”

Miller worked at an area concrete company and loved softball and baseball, she said.

“Tracy was a very good-hearted young man and he was a God fearing young man with a strong faith base,” Downard said. “He loved his family and was goal driven. He wanted to prosper and have a healthier, happier life.”

Miller attended Hamilton High School and was raised by his grandmother, so he also spent several years in Kentucky, she said.

“He had been really happy that last six to eight weeks. Happy about going to work and was really motivated,” Downard. “He was wonderful and had no problem telling any of us that he loved us.”

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