Murder defendant Eric Jones Jr., 31, pleaded guilty to a killing and an attempt to dispose of the body before a Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John A Howard on Sept. 3. Jones was accused of dumping thirty-three year old Dashond Johnson’s body where officers discovered it near the Gwynns Falls trail on Jan 20.
Charging documents stated that they received a missing persons report on Jan. 19 from Johnson’s sister who stated she hasn’t seen or heard from him in two weeks.
She told detectives that her brother mentioned that his current romantic situation was on a downward spiral for the last year.
She also told officers where he lived with a roommate in a home with other people.
As part of their investigation police located a FaceTime call with Jones on the night of Jan. 2, he and Johnson had a serious argument and Johnson stormed out of the house and hasn’t seen him since.
An investigation into the disappearance led to a 911 call from a woman sharing the house.
She heard a male voice outside screaming multiple times, “Oh my God! Then she saw a male stumble while holding his chest and then he collapsed.
She said she also saw the suspect retrieve a folding cart and place the victim inside. He pushed the cart down the street towards an alley.
The next morning the same witness watched the suspect scrubbing the front steps and sidewalk in front of the home.
Detectives, equipped with a warrant, searched the home and blood was found in the bedroom, living room, and front steps.
Jones was questioned and ultimately confessed to stabbing Johnson to death during an argument.
He also admitted to putting him into a cart and covering his body with a suitcase while he took him to Leakin Park, where he then covered his body with stone before dumping it. He used Google maps to help show the detectives where the exact location.
The defendant’s and victim’s family observed the proceedingfs.
As Jones was walking out of the courtroom, a member of the victims family stood up and yelled. “I want him to see my face.”
The sentencing was tentatively scheduled for Jan 8.
