Dayton man sentenced to life in prison in deadly tavern parking lot shooting

Tyray Lynn Ward

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Tyray Lynn Ward

A 27-year-old Dayton man was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison in a deadly shooting at a tavern parking lot last December.

Tyray Lynn Ward was convicted of murder and felonious assault Wednesday in the death of Austin Newell, according to Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr.

As part of his life sentence, Ward will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 15 years.

On Dec. 11, 2020, Dayton police responded to Leo Street after a 911 caller reported a person lying in the road.

Officers found the victim, later identified as Newell, on the ground near the curb outside Jay and Jeans Tavern.

During the investigation, police learned Newell was a passenger inside a vehicle and fell out after he was shot.

“Through surveillance video, it was found that a Black male shot into the vehicle multiple times,” Dayton Municipal Court records read. “This male was identified as Tyray Ward.”

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene after being shot at, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Ward was arrested in connection to the deadly shooting in early January.

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