Lexington man pleads guilty to murder, other charges in 2018 shooting death of teen
A Lexington man has accepted a plea deal for a murder charge and more stemming from violent crimes committed in 2018.
Morgan Johnson, 25, was originally charged with murder, kidnapping of an adult, first-degree burglary and first-degree rape after he was accused of killing 19-year-old Christopher Spencer at an apartment off Richmond Road Feb. 7, 2018. Spencer was found on the porch of the residence with multiple gunshot wounds.
Johnson, who was 21 at the time, is also accused of kidnapping a woman he knew and taking her to the Squires Woods Way home, where he sexually assaulted her, according to court records. Johnson, Spencer and the woman knew one another, Lexington Police Sgt. Jervis Middleton said, per court documents.
Monday, Johnson pleaded guilty in Fayette Circuit Court for amended charges of murder, second-degree burglary and first-degree unlawful imprisonment. The charge of first-degree rape was dismissed as a part of the plea agreement.
He faces up to 30 years in prison with restitution to be determined and a 10-year interpersonal protection order. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 8 at 1 p.m.
At the time of the shooting, Johnson was arrested by police after several hours of negotiation. A week before the fatal shooting, on Jan. 31, 2018, police also negotiated with Johnson to come out of the same residence after they responded to a call of a suicidal man.
He was taken to Eastern State Mental Hospital after he was coaxed out of the apartment. The institution does not release information on specific patients or cases, so it is unclear if Johnson was admitted and when he was released after police took him to the psychiatric facility Jan. 31.
Throughout the course of the investigation and court proceedings, it was questioned if he was competent to stand trial with an evaluation done by the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center in July 2018. He was ruled competent by Judge Lucy VanMeter in September of the same year.
