Hamilton police say a suspect vehicle was “in the area for days” leading up to the shooting death of 39-year-old Jeffrey Johnson.
In an update, homicide detectives revealed video showing a Honda Accord that appeared to be surveying areas around where Johnson lived.
“So obviously it’s concerning that there is someone or some people that have conducted some form of surveillance on Jeff in the days leading up to his homicide,” said Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk.
Johnson’s body was found outside his home on West 4th Street near Richwill Road at about 6 a.m. on Dec. 6. He had been getting ready to go to work.
An autopsy confirmed he died from gunshot wounds.
Bereziuk says investigators still have no idea why he was killed.
“Major crime investigators have yet to answer the question, why was Jeff killed? Jeff Johnson was unknown to the Hamilton Police Service,” Bereziuk said. “There is no evidence to support theories that he was involved in a criminal subculture such as drugs, weapons or traditional organized crime.”
Bereziuk went on to say that Johnson appeared to have no recent extramarital affairs and that no one stood to gain financially from his death.
Johnson’s widow Christine Garrett said her husband was a loving father to his young son and daughter, both under the age of eight and whom he lived with.
“And now all I can do is wonder why or who could have done this to him and our family to take him away from all of us,” said Garrett, who found Johnson lying next to a black car on the morning he was killed.
“There’s a huge hole in all of our lives now and we’re having an extremely hard time moving forward.”
During a press conference Thursday morning at Hamilton police headquaters Garrett made a plea for anyone with information to come forward.
“If anybody knows anything, or feels like they might know, something please come forward, call the police, Crime Stoppers. Do something because we all deserve to know.”
Bereziuk would not say how many times Johnson was shot but believed the shooting was “deliberate.”
Detectives say the suspect vehicle is a four-door 2016-17 Honda Accord, sport or touring or touring V6 model that was dark gray with silver door handles, sport rims and dual exhaust.
Anyone with information or video is asked to call police at 905-546-4067 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
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