An Ohio resident, Jonathan Morris, 21, is currently in custody after allegedly seeking revenge on his former manager, following his dismissal from work earlier this summer, as reported by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. The incident took place in the parking lot of a Taco Bell in the Queensgate neighborhood of Cincinnati on August 29.
According to the police, Morris is charged with one count of murder. The incident occurred shortly after midnight when Morris allegedly shot Ryan Johnson, 32, who was his former manager at the Taco Bell. Morris had been relieved of his duties at the restaurant the previous day.
Hamilton County prosecutors, represented by David Hickenlooper, expressed their devastation over the incident in court. Hickenlooper stated that the victim, Johnson, seemed to have been trying to assist Morris, making the act even more senseless.
The police report indicates that Morris fatally shot Johnson outside the Taco Bell where they both worked. Upon responding to reports of gunfire, officers found Johnson with multiple gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. At the time of the incident, Johnson was not in his work uniform but was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.
Investigators did not find any shell casings at the crime scene. However, they were able to obtain a description of the suspect and a possible motive for the murder from witnesses present at the scene.
During a court hearing, the judge set Morris’s bond at $500,000 after reviewing the evidence against him. The state had initially requested a $2 million bond. Johnson’s family, however, expressed their grief and anger during the hearing, with Johnson’s grandmother stating that Morris had taken a life and should not be allowed out.
Morris, who is represented by a public defender, has had only one previous encounter with the criminal justice system, for which he was acquitted. His defense attorney stated that neither Morris nor his family could afford the bond. The attorney also mentioned that Morris, who lives with his father, is the primary caregiver for his one-year-old son.
Despite this, a police officer stated that they had searched Morris’s father’s residence and did not find him there, noting that it took weeks for law enforcement to apprehend Morris. If Morris manages to pay the full $500,000 bond, he will be subjected to round-the-clock electronic monitoring and house arrest, as ruled by the judge.