Lexington, KY – A preliminary hearing held on Wednesday shed light on the circumstances surrounding the death of 17-year-old Kenlon Johnson, who was shot and killed in March. The hearing took place in Fayette District Court for Jon’Tay Mattingly, 19, who faces a murder charge in connection with Johnson’s death.
According to Lexington police detective Hunter Wilks, Johnson’s shooting appears to have been a planned set-up involving Mattingly and three other individuals, all of whom were friends. Surveillance footage from the neighborhood shows the group arriving at a home on Rockaway Place in a stolen vehicle. Wilks noted that only Mattingly and the three others left the scene after Johnson was fatally shot, indicating a possible premeditated act.
Wilks stated, “I believe the idea of coming to the scene in a stolen vehicle with Mr. Johnson and then fleeing the scene together back in that stolen vehicle without Mr. Johnson shows at least some sort of a plan in order to execute this.” Although the officers have identified four individuals involved in the incident, they have yet to charge the other three.
During the investigation, approximately 30 search warrants were executed, and multiple interviews were conducted. Detective Wilks revealed that DNA from Mattingly was found on a vape discovered at the shooting scene, alongside another unidentified DNA profile. However, no firearm was located at the scene, and while a gun was recovered from Mattingly’s residence, it remains unclear if it was the weapon used in the shooting.
The hearing also disclosed that Johnson was unarmed when he was shot multiple times, with Wilks estimating at least five shots fired. Furthermore, Johnson had no known relationship to the residence where the incident occurred, and his cellphone has yet to be recovered.
Mattingly’s attorney, Brooklyn Alcorn, criticized the case, arguing for the lack of direct evidence tying Mattingly to the shooting. She stated, “They can’t put a gun in his hands, they don’t know who the shooter is… Being there does not implicate somebody automatically for murder.” However, following the interrogation, Judge Bruce Bell ultimately found probable cause to proceed with charges against Mattingly, reducing his bond from $1 million to $500,000.
The investigation continues, with police urging anyone with information regarding the incident to come forward. The case has drawn attention to the complexities surrounding youth violence and the implications of close friendships in tragic circumstances.
