Homicide suspect accidentally released from jail now a suspect in third death
A man who already had been accused of committing two other homicides when he was released from jail because of a paperwork snafu is now a suspect in a third homicide — a robbery that turned deadly at a gas station Tuesday.
David A. Johnson III, 20, is believed to be one of three people involved in the shooting death of 21-year-old Andrew Combs of the Milo-Grogan neighborhood in Columbus. Johnson was formally charged with murder in the case on Friday afternoon.
Combs and a friend were at the Sunoco gas station at 2725 W. Broad St. shortly before midnight Tuesday.
A search warrant filed Thursday in Franklin County Municipal Court said an altercation occurred and a witness attempted to call 911. One of the suspects then punched the witness, prompting Combs to intervene.
Read about what that led to release:Suspect in two homicides released from Franklin County jail due to court clerical error
Combs was pushed backward out of the gas station's convenience store during the ensuing altercation before being shot. He was rushed to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, where he died at 12:56 a.m. Wednesday.
Search warrant says 'distinctive' item led police to suspect Johnson
According to the search warrant, detectives looked at security camera footage from the gas station that had captured video of the shooting. All three suspects were seen on the video holding firearms, according to the search warrant, and then fleeing after the shooting in the direction of the home on South Harris Avenue where Johnson has resided in the past.
That home is about a tenth of a mile from the gas station.
The search warrant's affidavit states that a "distinctive cigarette lighter holder" that Johnson has been photographed wearing before was seen attached to the front of one of the suspects' pants in the gas station's video, which, along with other images on the video, led detectives to consider Johnson a potential suspect in Combs' death.
Detectives have not yet publicly identified the remaining two suspects.
Combs was expecting a baby boy with his girlfriend, according to his social media accounts, and recently had been able to purchase a vehicle. He had graduated from Fairfield Career Center and worked as a warehouse employee. He is survived by his parents and four siblings.
Combs' family is asking that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Starr House, a social-services agency that helps teenagers and young adults who are struggling with homelessness by connecting them with housing, employment, health care and other opportunities.
An online fundraiser organized for Combs' family is raising money to pay for emergency flights home for two of his siblings who live out of state. As of Friday afternoon, nearly $3,500 had been raised. Any money raised beyond what is needed to cover the flights will be donated to Starr House.
A candlelight vigil is being planned for 7 p.m. Friday at the gas station.
Gas station's liquor permit objected to by City Council on Dec. 6
The gas station where Combs was shot is one of a dozen establishments throughout the city that City Council had voted to oppose the renewal of a liquor license for during its Dec. 6 meeting.
However, City Attorney Zach Klein's office said that the gas station recently had come under new ownership and the City Attorney's office has been working with those new owners to develop a plan for increased security.
Last call? It could be for some:Columbus City Council objects to liquor permit renewals for a dozen businesses
If the conditions of the plan, which was finalized in Franklin County Municipal Court on Thursday, are met and continue to be met in the future, the city will withdraw its opposition for the renewal of the liquor license, Klein's office said. The plan includes increased security, lighting and cameras to prevent loitering at the gas station, near the intersection of West Broad Street and Hague Avenue in the Hilltop.
The gas station is about a block from the house on the first block of South Harris Avenue, where the two homicides Johnson is accused of occurred.
Johnson's Nov. 29 release a result of paperwork filing error
Johnson was arrested in November after his 1-year-old son died from ingesting fentanyl that Johnson allegedly had been selling and that had been left out at the home. At the time of the boy's death Nov. 18, Johnson was on house arrest in connection with an April 2021 homicide for which he is awaiting trial.
Previous coverage:Columbus man now charged with involuntary manslaughter in son's death
On April 28, 2021, Johnson is accused of fatally shooting 26-year-old Derek Ponder and wounding his own mother during an altercation at the South Harris Avenue home, according to court records.
Following his indictment in that case, Johnson was put on house arrest, according to court records.
After his November arrest, Judge Jaiza Page, who is handling the 2021 homicide case in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, filed paperwork to revoke Johnson's house arrest and have him held in the Franklin County jail until his trial.
Page filed the paperwork Nov. 21. However, an issue with how the paperwork was filed with the Clerk of Courts office resulted in the jail not being notified of Johnson's bond revocation. That technicality led to Johnson walking out of the jail Nov. 29.
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Page was not in the office Friday.
Police actively are searching for Johnson, who was not at the South Harris Avenue home on Thursday evening when the search warrant was executed. Police found ammunition, a gun box and multiple magazines at the home.
Anyone with information about Johnson's whereabouts is asked to call police immediately.
bbruner@dispatch.com
@bethany_bruner
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Homicide suspect accidentally let out of jail now eyed in third death
