Tampa man arrested for DUI is wanted for murder in Ohio

TAMPA - A Tampa man arrested for driving under the influence Sunday is a murder suspect from Ohio, said Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies.

Tyrell Phillips was arrested Sunday for driving under the influence, battery on a law enforcement officer, and obstructing a police officer. Deputies say they had to taser Phillips to stop him from trying to get away.

When deputies ran a routine fingerprint check at the Hillsborough County Jail, results showed Phillips was actually Michael Mitchell, of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mitchell has been a fugitive since 2003, when he was accused of murdering a man outside a Cincinnati bar. Varion Mines was shot one time in the chest on April 15, 2003. Witnesses told police Michael Mitchell was the gunman. Mitchell disappeared.

On a quiet dead end street in Citrus Park, Mitchell's neighbors learned who he really was.

"That's amazing," said Patrick Hebert, "I mean I don't know what to say about that."

Deputies say he was living under an assumed name in Tampa for years. His disappearance was chronicled on the television show America's Most Wanted in 2006.

Mitchell appeared in court under heavy guard this morning, where a judge ordered him held without bond.

"That really upsets me. I mean especially as a father," Herbert replied, "Two doors down. That's incredible.

What has authorities concerned is how he lived for years under a fake name, without detection.

"We're very concerned about how he could assume someone else's identity and have copies of birth certificates, social security cards and everything else when you're wanted for murder." Col. Greg Brown of the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office said.

The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed it isued a drivers license in the assumed name of Tyrell Phillips within the past five years.

A spokeswoman said "He had all of the necessary documents, including a birth cetrtificate and social security card out of Massachusetts. He gave two proofs of residential adresses in Florida."

"That's the problem that we have with our government. Is they don't, the states don't talk to each other when they try to look up information." Herbert said.