Eugene Blake is the lead suspect in the slaying of 21-year-old Mark Withers, of Bridgeport, Ohio, and he’s fighting extradition.

Belmont County Prosecutor Chris Berhalter said he just signed off on a governor’s warrant. Berhalter said Blake is fighting extradition out of West Virginia and into Ohio. Berhalter said the only other step is taking it to Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.

Blake is in jail in West Virginia for the murder of a Wheeling girl years ago. His sentence for the crime is not set to be over anytime soon. As a precaution, Berhalter said they’ve also put a detainer on him so that he cannot go anywhere, even if given the opportunity.

The governor’s warrant was set into process this week. Essentially, the warrant requires signatures from both Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin.

The warrant is a step up and Berhalter said it will force Blake to come to Ohio to answer to the murder charges against him, stemming from the death of Withers.

Berhalter said Blake is facing three counts of aggravated murder with death penalty specifications in relation to the Wither’s case.

Berhalter said even though Blake is fighting extradition, they’ll get him back here eventually.

“Well, there are numerous routes to bring Mr. Blake back to the state of Ohio to answer these charges, and regardless which route we have to take, we’ll continue to keep working to bring him back here to answer these charges,” said Berhalter.

Berhalter said Blake has filed several motions, including a discovery motion, asking to see all of the evidence against him in the Withers case.

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