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April 13, 2007 > News > Marine charged in Bailey’s murder

Marine charged in Bailey’s murder

By David Brown | Thresher staff

Ronald Johnson Jr., a 23-year-old U.S. marine who recently returned to College Station from Iraq, has been charged with the murder of Sid Richardson College junior Jonathan Bailey and released from jail on $200,000 bond.

Johnson allegedly stabbed Bailey to death outside a College Station bar April 4.

Janson Bailey, Jonathan’s twin brother, was released from the hospital Tuesday after undergoing treatment for multiple stab wounds in the same altercation.

College Station Police Department Lieutenant Mark Langwell said he could not comment on the investigation because of the possibility of additional arrests. However, documents released by the CSPD detail witness accounts of the incident.

According to the CSPD probable cause statement used for Johnson’s arrest, the incident began when Janson Bailey and Michael Fuller, Johnson’s friend and also a marine, began fighting inside the V-Bar.

Police interviewed several witnesses to the events, all of whom were attending the bar with the Baileys.

One witness told police that Michael Fuller shoved Janson Bailey — who was standing behind Fuller in line — because Janson Bailey’s behavior offended Fuller.

Bailey responded by punching Fuller in the face several times, and the two men were kicked out of the bar as a result, the report states.

Johnson later told police that Fuller pushed Janson Bailey because he was “humping up on his leg.”

Janson Bailey told police that outside of the bar, he approached Fuller to apologize, but the two began to fight again in the street. According to witnesses, Janson dodged Fuller’s punches and struck Fuller while he was on the ground. One of the witnesses pulled Janson away. Janson then walked to his car, and the witness went to get the rest of the group from the bar so they could leave together.

The witness told police that as he was gathering the group, someone yelled that Janson Bailey was in another fight. The witness and five others, including Jonathan Bailey, rushed to help Janson because they could see more than one person fighting with him.

The report states that one of the Baileys’ friends kicked Fuller off Janson Bailey, after which Janson kicked Fuller — who was still on the ground — in the face.

“Shortly after that someone yelled that Jonathan had been shot,” the report states. “[The witnesses] all stated that as soon as someone said this, they turned their attention to Jonathan and [Fuller and Johnson], who fled the scene. They then discovered that Jonathan had been stabbed….”

College Station Fire Department personnel took Janson and Jonathan Bailey to St. Joseph Regional Health Center, where Janson was treated for non-life-threatening stab wounds and Jonathan was declared dead.

At the scene, police used Fuller’s driver’s license and credit card, which he had left at the bar, to locate him and Johnson. Johnson attempted to flee after police arrived at the house where he was staying, but officers stopped his truck.

Johnson voluntarily went with police for questioning. He told the police that he first encountered the fight when he exited the V-Bar to find Fuller bleeding while lying on the ground, and that he then helped Fuller up and they walked to their truck. Johnson said he was not involved in a fight.

But the questioning officer told Johnson that he matched the description given of someone at the scene.

“I’ll be honest with you. Yes, I did,” Johnson said, according to the report.

Johnson told police that he and Fuller, who thought Janson Bailey had stolen his wallet and cell phone, went after Janson together when he was alone behind the bar.

“[Johnson] stated that … Janson’s friends ran up to the scene, at which point [Johnson] said he removed his pocket knife from his right front pocket and stabbed two people,” the report states.

Johnson said he drank five 16-ounce beers that night and was intoxicated. He said he did not remember Janson Bailey’s friends showing weapons or making threatening statements. Johnson said that he then drove home with Fuller and washed his knife off.

Johnson then asked the police about the Baileys’ injuries, and the police informed him of Jonathan Bailey’s death.

Fuller also admitted to police that he pulled out a pocket knife during the fight, but he said he did not believe he stabbed anyone.

One of the Baileys’ friends who spoke to police said Fuller lost his money clip while he was fighting Janson Bailey — soon after they had exited the bar — and that one of the Baileys’ friends picked it up and threw it back to Fuller.

Jeremy Pitre, a high school friend of the Baileys who was not at the V-Bar that night, told the Port Arthur News that he had spent time with the Bailey family since the death, including Chris Bailey — Jonathan and Janson’s younger brother, who witnessed the fight. Pitre said Jonathan was stabbed after he came to Janson’s defense.

“Janson got jumped, Jonathan pushed the guy off him, and the guy stabbed Jonathan in the heart,” Pitre said.

The following day, April 5th, Johnson was arrested for murder.

Brazos County Prosecutor Shane Phelps said that he does not expect a court appearance will happen for several months, but that he hopes to bring the case before a grand jury within 90 days.

Phelps said the $200,000 bond is relatively high, even for a murder case. Bond for most murder suspects is usually posted between $20,000 and $50,000, he said.

End of article

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