2 men charged in September killing of Ogden man on front porch

OGDEN — Two men have been charged in connection with the killing of a 45-year-old Ogden man who was shot multiple times in front of his house last month.

Johnathon Geno Lemus, 31, is charged with murder and four counts of discharging a firearm with serious bodily injury, first-degree felonies; plus possession of a firearm by a restricted person and receiving stolen property, second-degree felonies; and two counts of discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony.

Joshua James Nava, 29, was booked into Weber County Jail on Oct. 31 and charged with possession of a firearm by a restricted person and theft of a firearm, second-degree felonies.

The victim, whose identity has still not been released, was “sitting or sleeping on a porch swing at the home of his family” in the 2800 block of Childs Avenue when he was shot about 4 a.m. on Sept. 21, according to charging documents.

In a video recording later acquired by investigators, two men are seen on the street near the victim’s house, one of whom is “carrying what appears to be a firearm behind his back,” the charges state. One of the men is shown moving behind a pickup truck toward the home, while the other “remains in the street behind the pickup.”

“Seven distinct gunshots” are heard on the recording, according to the charges, “followed by moaning and exclamations of pain.” The video then shows two men running away from the scene. It is unclear where the video came from.

“After being shot, (the victim) stumbled up the stairs and eventually entered the home where he collapsed,” the charges say. The man’s family called 911, and in a recording of that call, his “voice is heard stating that the person who shot him was ‘Johnathon’ and ‘Boxer.'”

Police and EMTs arrived to treat the man, who repeated that “Johnathon” shot him, the charges allege. He was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries. An autopsy determined that the cause of death was “multiple gunshot wounds.”

Over the course of the investigation, police said they identified the two suspects as Lemus, who’s known alias is “Boxer,” and Nava.

License plate readers tracked Lemus’ vehicle to a location “only a few blocks from a known location previously reported as Nava’s residence” hours before the shooting, and then again less than an hour after the shooting, according to court documents. License plate readers then tracked Lemus’ vehicle to St. George and to Las Vegas the day after the killing.

On Sept. 25, Lemus was arrested for unrelated charges in Las Vegas, and allegedly found to be in possession of a Glock 9 mm that was reported stolen in Salt Lake City just two days before the shooting. The Utah State Crime Lab confirmed the gun matched the same gun used to shoot and kill the Ogden man, according to the charges.

Several cell phones were found in Lemus’ car through a search warrant, including one belonging to Nava. A data extraction revealed that Nava sent a photo of the same gun the day before the shooting, recognizable because of “a Holosun sight fixed to the upper receiver of the gun,” matching the one recovered in Las Vegas, the charges state.

Cellphone data shows Nava drove from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, and casino security footage shows the two men together in the days following the homicide, according to investigators.

Nava also texted a friend, “I’m strapped ask my mom she seen it,” and when asked about the shooting, texted, “yes it was me and (Lemus) that did it,” according to charges, saying, “I was defending myself” and “I didn’t intentionally do that (expletive).”

Nava allegedly admitted “to being in possession of the stolen firearm” used in the shooting when police located him in October, and that he was with Lemus the night before and the day following.

A recorded phone call between Lemus and a “relative or associate” from the Clark County Jail in Nevada shows they had a conversation discussing “possible sentences for murder cases in Utah,” according to court documents.

The motive for the shooting was not addressed in the court filings.

Police say both men are restricted persons not allowed to have firearms. Lemus has a previous felony conviction of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, while Nava was convicted of aggravated assault in 2016 and possession with intent to distribute in 2018.

Nava had his initial court appearance Tuesday in 2nd District Court; Lemus is currently in the custody of Clark County Jail, where he is being held without bail.