Toledo man convicted in 2012 slaying

Johnson faces life sentence for murder

Jonathon Johnson, 23, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 18 years.

Jonathon Johnson showed little emotion on Thursday night as a jury found him guilty in the shooting death of another man at the Ravine Park Village housing complex last fall.

The panel of nine women and three men convicted Johnson, 23, of 1657 Vance St., of murder, aggravated robbery, and felonious assault and specifications that a gun was used in each of the crimes. They also found him guilty of carrying a concealed weapon.

The jury, seated Monday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, deliberated about nine hours before reaching its decisions.

The convictions stem from the Oct. 5, 2012, shooting death of Jonathan Morris, 22, in the East Toledo public housing development near Seaman Street.

Prosecutors said Chaz Jackson, 28, and Andrew Goetz, 29, were present when Johnson shot the victim, who was suspected by Goetz of taking powder cocaine and $35 in cash from his pocket earlier that night at the Bottom Line bar.

Mr. Jackson, of 1158 Clark St., and Goetz, of 614 Earl St., testified that Johnson had gone with them to Ravine Park Village, where Goetz intended to confront Mr. Morris.

Goetz said Johnson handed him a revolver, and when Mr. Morris denied taking his property, Goetz hit him in the head with the gun, which flew into the air. He said Mr. Jackson eventually retrieved the stolen drugs from the victim’s pants after a scuffle, and Johnson shot the victim.

Goetz and Mr. Jackson are charged with aggravated murder and aggravated robbery but have been given plea agreements that would allow them to plead guilty to robbery in exchange for their testimony.

Johnson, who will be sentenced on Oct. 22 by Judge Frederick McDonald, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 18 years for the murder conviction.

— Mark Reiter