James Shoemaker

James “Jimmy” Shoemaker was a 37-year-old White man from Manchester, Ohio, remembered as a big-hearted person who would do anything for anyone. A former partner, Jessica Shoemaker, said he loved being around children and was like a big kid himself. She described him as a second father to her own three children. His friend, Terry Nunley, recalled how much he appreciated the way Jimmy treated his kids, giving them rides on his golf cart. Both expressed shock that such a violent crime could happen in their small, close-knit community.

On the afternoon of March 28, 2024, a shooting occurred at a residence on West 6th Street in Manchester. When authorities arrived, they found James Shoemaker and another person, Sharon Kay Mozingo, deceased. A third individual had also been shot and was transported to a hospital in critical but stable condition. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called to assist the Adams County Sheriff’s Office with the double homicide investigation.

Later that day, after a search involving law enforcement in Ohio and Kentucky, two suspects were located and arrested in Clinton County. David Johnson, then 46, was charged with two counts of murder. His wife, Tabitha Johnson, was charged with tampering with evidence and obstructing justice. Both were held in the Clinton County jail before being transferred to Adams County to face the charges.

The case against David Johnson concluded in March 2025. He pleaded guilty to two counts of voluntary manslaughter for the deaths of Shoemaker and Mozingo, and one count of attempted aggravated murder for shooting the third victim. During his confession, Johnson stated he had been using meth and believed Shoemaker and Mozingo were going to rob him, which led to an angry confrontation. As a result of his guilty plea, David Johnson was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison. As of that month, Tabitha Johnson was scheduled to stand trial on the charges against her.