David L. Johnson (center) and his defense team of C. Nicholas Ring right) and Bruce S. Wallace(left) direct their attention to the Judge on Friday during the change of plea hearing. (Photo by Ryan Applegate)
Surviving victim Ryan Roach addressed Johnson in court on Friday as part of the time given for victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing. (Photo by Ryan Applegate)
By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
David L. Johnson stood before Judge Brett Spencer in the Court of Common Pleas in Adams County on March 7 and pled guilty to the slayings of Sharon “Kay” Mozingo and James Shoemaker, as well as the attempted killing of Ryan Roach. The crimes, which took place in Manchester, Ohio, in March 2024, left two people dead and another seriously injured. Johnson initially fled the scene but was apprehended hours later. His guilty pleas came as part of a negotiated agreement with the state, ensuring he will spend decades in prison while sparing the victims’ families from the trauma of a lengthy trial.
Johnson, represented by defense attorneys C. Nicholas Ring and Bruce S. Wallace, admitted to voluntary manslaughter with a firearm specification, attempted aggravated murder, and felonious assault. The state, represented by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney W. Scott Wilson, outlined the terms of the plea agreement, which had been reached after extensive discussions with the families of the slain victims and the surviving victim, Roach. Judge Spencer ultimately enforced the stipulated sentence agreed upon by the defense, prosecution, and those directly affected by Johnson’s crimes.
Under the terms of the agreement, Johnson will serve a total of 30 to 34.5 years in prison. His sentence includes 13.5 years for voluntary manslaughter with a firearm specification, nine years each for voluntary manslaughter and attempted aggravated murder, and seven years for felonious assault. The three-year firearm specification must be served first, as required by law, and the sentences for counts one, two, and three will run consecutively. The sentence for count four will run concurrently.
Following a brief recess to formally file the guilty pleas, the court moved directly into sentencing. Judge Spencer carefully reviewed each charge and its corresponding penalties with Johnson, emphasizing that while consecutive sentences were not mandatory, the court had the authority to impose them. Johnson acknowledged that he understood this and agreed to the stipulation that his sentences for the most serious charges would be served one after another.
The courtroom was somber, filled with grieving family members and loved ones of the victims who had waited nearly a year for this moment. Many wept quietly as Judge Spencer read through the charges and sentencing terms. The weight of what had occurred in Manchester hung heavily over the proceedings—Mozingo and Shoemaker were gunned down, and Roach was left maimed in a violent attack that shattered lives and sent shockwaves through the small town. The lasting impact of the crime was evident in the faces of those who had come to witness justice being served.
As part of his sentence, Johnson was ordered to pay restitution to the victims’ families. The court mandated that he compensate Norma Mozingo with $8,000 for her sister’s funeral expenses and Pam Holsinger with $12,000 for the burial costs of her son. In addition to restitution, Johnson will also be required to pay court costs.
Once Johnson completes his prison term, he will be subject to mandatory post-release control for a period of two to five years for the most serious charges. Judge Spencer warned him that violations of post-release control could result in additional prison time and harsher penalties if he committed any new crimes while under supervision.
The sentencing hearing was marked by emotional victim impact statements from the families of the deceased and Roach, who survived the attack. Their words carried grief, anger, and the weight of irreparable loss.
Sarah Frederick, Kay Mozingo’s aunt, expressed her pain and hope that Johnson would live with the consequences of his actions every day. “I hope that all the years in prison, that you sit there daily and think about it, and I hope that it haunts you to where you cannot sleep at all.”
Norma Mozingo, still raw with grief over her sister’s death, had no sympathy for Johnson. Through tears, she addressed him directly, saying, “I hope you rot in hell. You had no right to take one of my baby sisters. You gave her no chance.”
Ryan Roach, the only surviving victim of Johnson’s attack, described the lasting trauma he endured. He reflected on how the violence stemmed from something so trivial and expressed his frustration at the senselessness of it all. “People lost their life over $20. This man knew what he was doing from the get-go.”
Pam Holsinger, the mother of James Shoemaker, focused on the children left behind in the wake of Johnson’s actions. She lamented the absence of her son in his children’s lives, saying, “Who’s going to teach my grandson to ride a bike? Who’s going to take him fishing? There’s no man who can replace his father.”
As Johnson listened to these statements, he remained mostly silent. However, when given the opportunity to address the court, he briefly spoke. “I can’t make excuses for it,” he said. “What I can say is that I’m sorry. I know this is something I have to live with, and I understand the pain that it has caused.” His words did little to move the families, many of whom rejected his apology outright.
Before handing down the sentence, Judge Spencer acknowledged the suffering that could never be undone. “There’s simply nothing this court could ever say to sooth these families,” he stated, recognizing the depths of grief that filled the courtroom.
The case has haunted the Manchester community, where the victims were well-known and loved. Sharon “Kay” Mozingo was remembered as a kindhearted woman who always put others before herself. James Shoemaker was a dedicated father, and his children are now forced to grow up without him. Ryan Roach, though he survived, will live with the scars of that night for the rest of his life.
Many within the community had braced for a drawn-out trial, which would have forced the victims’ families to relive the horrors of those days in court. Instead, the plea agreement ensured that Johnson would be held accountable without the uncertainty of a trial and the possibility of appeals that could have dragged the process on for years.
With the sentence finalized, Johnson was remanded to the custody of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office for transfer to the Ohio Department of Corrections, where he will begin serving his time. There was no celebration of justice—only the weight of irreversible loss and the finality of the court’s ruling.
The courtroom emptied slowly, with family members and loved ones embracing as they prepared to leave. Though justice had been served in the legal sense, for them, the pain will never fade. The hole left by Johnson’s actions cannot be filled, and the grief will linger far beyond the confines of the courtroom.
This case has left a deep wound in Adams County, one that will take years—if not lifetimes—to heal. The sorrow and anger in the courtroom reflected the devastation caused by Johnson’s violence. Though the legal proceedings have concluded, the loss suffered by the families of the slain and the survivor is permanent. They will go on, but nothing will ever be the same.
