West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder

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Jonathan Lopez, 21, pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder and firearm use before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie J. Hong on May 2.

Lopez was initially also charged with attempted first-degree murder, two counts each of first-degree assault and related violations in relation to an incident that occurred Aug. 5, 2023, in the 200 block of South Broadway.

Per the plea, Lopez faces 40 years, suspending all but 15, the first five without possibility of parole. He will be required to serve five years supervised probation and register as a gun offender. The sentence is a reduction from the prosecution’s Jan. 27 offer of life, suspending all but 25 years, plus 20 consecutive years.

Lopez was reportedly at a party approximately an hour-and-a-half from his home in Martinsburg, West Virginia when the incident occurred. Shortly before the shooting, an argument broke out among Lopez and several others. Police responded at approximately 2:20 am and located a 32-year old male victim with a gunshot wound to his leg.

Detectives recovered video footage that captured the shooting and, with the assistance of the Martinsburg Police Department (MPD), positively identified Lopez as the shooter in the video.

On Dec. 7, 2023, MPD notified Baltimore City warrant apprehension detectives of Lopez’s arrest on unrelated charges.

On Sept. 18, 2024, Lopez was extradited to Baltimore City and transported to the Central Booking & Intake Facility, where he was charged with attempted first-degree murder.