Cops, family seek answers in mysterious Hamilton homicide

Article content

Jeff Johnson made an unlikely target for a professional hit.

For starters, he didn’t have a police record or any criminal associations. There wasn’t a love triangle and no one would benefit financially from his demise.

Recommended Videos

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Cops, family seek answers in mysterious Hamilton homicide Back to video

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

But on Dec. 6, 2019 around 6 a.m., the married Hamilton father of two small children was shot to death as he walked to his car.

A neighbour found him mortally wounded and Johnson died shortly after in hospital.

Now, cops in the Hammer have released photos of a vehicle that had been scoping out his street in the days before he was murdered. His family and detectives are still asking “why?”

“Somebody somewhere has an answer, and we just need justice for Jeff,” his wife, Christine Garrett, told a police press conference Thursday.

“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.”

She added: “My family has been flipped upside down, and my life with my kids has been shaken forever because someone took our husband from us.

“There’s a huge hole in all of our lives now, and we’re having a really hard time moving forward.”

Cops say Johnson’s daily routine seldom varied. He would play with his children, the centre of his universe. Sundays, it was watching football with pals.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

Johnson also worked a lot. The concrete contractor would leave his house around 6 a.m. to start the day.

According to Det.-Sgt. Steve Bereziuk, homicide investigators typically know within the first 48 hours why a person has been murdered.

“Typically, we can answer relatively quickly, certainly within the first 48, and as long as a week into the investigation,” Bereziuk said, adding that it’s possible the murder was a case of mistaken identity.

“Here we are a month later, still investigating this murder, and we cannot identify why Jeff was targeted.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

Police say that a dark grey Honda Accord — either a 2016 or 2017 — with silver door handles, sport rims, four doors and dual exhaust was checking out Johnson’s house before the slaying.

Cops do not have a description of anyone in the car or if there was more than one killer involved.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. David Brewster at 905-546-4067, or Crime Stoppers.

bhunter@postmedia.com

@HunterTOSun