DALTON RAY

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — An Oklahoma man faces up to three years behind bars after he was convicted Tuesday of obstruction of justice in connection with the September 2021 murders of Thomas and Angela Strussion.

A jury found Dalton Ray guilty of the charge by a jury in Belmont County Common Pleas Court.

According to Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan, the evidence at trial showed that detectives from Ohio traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray in July 2024 regarding any information that he may have involving the deaths of the Strussions, who were found dead inside their home on Trails End Drive near Belmont after witnesses saw smoke coming from the structure and attempted to rescue anyone who was inside.

After the first interview, Flanagan said in a news release, detectives from Belmont County were able to determine that untruthful information was given to them by Ray. Detectives again traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray for a second time. The testimony at trial showed that Ray again provided false statements to the detectives during the second interview, but this time detectives confronted Ray with evidence contradicting his statements.

“It was alleged that in July of 2024 he became a person of interest in the double homicide in the Tom and Angela Strussion (case), and the officers interviewed him in Oklahoma in late July. It was kind of a quick interview. They weren’t sure what this individual knew. So he provided some information,” Assistant Prosecutor Joe Vavra, who represented the state at trial, said Wednesday. “Officers learned very shortly after that that he had outright lied to them. He denied knowing at all our primary suspect, and he also denied being involved in the purchase of a motorcycle that we believe was used in the homicides.

“Shortly after that, the officers again discovered that he just outright lied. They went back to interview him a second time on August 13 of 2024, and, once again, he started out by lying completely for those same two primary reasons. He lied about some other things, and ultimately, he started to begin to tell the truth, which, at that point, he fled the interview. He ran from the officers and then led them on a high-speed chase in the state of Oklahoma to get away from them to avoid the interview.”

Flanagan said local detectives, knowing Ray was not being truthful, secured an arrest warrant to bring Ray back to Ohio. Ray was already on probation from a Texas conviction and fled but was eventually apprehended, according to Flanagan. The prosecutor said his office worked with the Texas authorities to return Ray to Belmont County after he finished his jail sentence in Texas for violating his Texas probation.

“As soon as he was able to be extradited back to Ohio, we brought him back and began our prosecution. And while his untruthful statements were made in Oklahoma, they were made to our detectives who were investigating homicides that occurred in this county. That provided us jurisdiction to move forward in Belmont County, and we did,” Flanagan noted.

Vavra added that the motorcycle is believed to be the vehicle that the primary suspect, Andrew Issac Griffin, used to go to the Strussions’ house before killing them along with their pets.

He said that although Ray was arrested and brought to the Belmont County Jail, besides this incident he has no other connection to the community.

“He has no connection to this area whatsoever. His involvement was, again, assisting this individual, and he’s been in custody in one way, shape or form since September of last year. After he fled from our officers, his probation was revoked. He was on probation down there for another case, and then eventually we indicted him, and our officers sought his arrest and brought him back here,” Vavra said.

According to Vavra, Ray originally was in custody for sex-related crimes, but Vavra did not provide the exact charge against him.

Flanagan praised Vavra’s handling of the case in conjunction with the detectives from the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office.

“The detectives were relentless in their pursuit for the truth as it relates to this homicide investigation. That is why they focused on bringing Ray back to Ohio. And once again, Joe did a masterful job for our office, as he always does, presenting the case to the jury,” said Flanagan.

“While there is so much more information associated with the prosecution of Ray, much of it can’t be discussed,” said Flanagan, who added that its release could prejudice future jurors in the next trial related to the homicides of the Strussions. “With Ray’s criminal history and the level of his deception in such a serious case, this office believes that nothing short of the highest possible sentence is appropriate.”

Ray’s sentencing is scheduled for June 24 in Belmont County Common Pleas Court. Flanagan said he was charged with third-degree felony obstructing justice, which is the most serious obstructing charge under Ohio law. The maximum possible sentence is three years in prison.