Jury finds Joliet man guilty of girlfriend’s 2017 murder

A jury found a Joliet man guilty of first-degree murder in the 2017 shooting of his girlfriend.

On Friday, the jury deliberated for roughly three hours before finding Jasper Johnson, 35, guilty of shooting 30-year-old Kia Johnson in the head on June 5, 2017, while knowing such an act created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm.

The jury was instructed to consider whether Johnson was guilty of first-degree murder or involuntary manslaughter, which he had initially been charged with following his arrest.

Johnson’s trial began Dec. 1 and concluded with closing arguments on Friday morning.

Johnson was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting at the Evergreen Terrace apartment complex, which is now known as the Riverwalk Homes.

Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Deborah Mills told the jury the state did not have to prove that Johnson intended to shoot his girlfriend, only that he knew firing the gun created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm.

Mills rejected Johnson’s repeated claim that the shooting was an accident and he was only playing with a gun.

Mills said Johnson had control of himself and the gun and he was downplaying the incident by further claiming he was only playing with the gun.

“He was playing around with Kia’s life that day,” Mills said.

Johnson’s attorney, Edward Jaquays, told the jury that the evidence established in the case did not prove Johnson intended to shoot his girlfriend. Jaquays said the incident was the “ugly side of carelessness.”

Jaquays said that after Kia Johnson was shot, Johnson screamed for help, pounded on the doors of other apartments for help and called for an ambulance.

“Is this consistent with somebody that did it on purpose?” Jaquays said.

Jaquays said a forensic pathologist did not find evidence of bruising or defensive wounds on Kia Johnson.

Jaquays said Joliet police Detective David Jackson lied to Johnson to get him to change his story. Throughout the interrogation, Johnson repeatedly insisted to Jackson and another detective the incident was an accident.

“No matter what lie was told to him … Mr. Johnson never changed his position,” Jaquays said.

Mills said Johnson lied throughout the interrogation and changed details of what happened, such as claiming he called 911 when his phone did not show he did. Mills said Johnson claimed he stabbed himself in the neck with a knife but the jury was shown a photo of his neck that showed no sign of injuries.

Judge Sarah Jones presided over Johnson’s trial, which had also been prosecuted by assistant state’s attorneys Britt Florin and Marie Griffin. Public defender Zack Strupeck also represented Johnson.