$1.5M bond set for second suspect in Shaker Heights student's murder
Johnathan Thornton, 19, pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder Tuesday after turning himself in to police.
By Anthony Lawson ·
The legal process for the second individual accused in the fatal shooting of a Shaker Heights High School student concluded Tuesday morning in Cleveland Municipal Court. Johnathan Thornton, 19, stood before a judge after pleading not guilty to aggravated murder. The court set his bond at $1.5 million. This amount matches the bond previously set for the first suspect in the case.
Thornton surrendered to the Cleveland Police Homicide Unit on Monday afternoon. He joined Khalil Woods Jr., 18, who was taken into custody on Oct. 31. Woods was found as a passenger in a vehicle during a traffic stop in University Heights. He also pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder at his arraignment on Nov. 2. Both men are currently held on the same $1.5 million bond.
The victim, Jaiden Tunson of Shaker Heights, was found shot to death on Oct. 26. His body was located in the area of E. 130th Street and Buckeye Road in Cleveland. Cleveland police have not released information regarding a possible motive for the shooting. The department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.
Woods Jr. has a prior record involving a crime committed earlier this year. He was arrested for an aggravated robbery at a high school baseball game. In July, he pleaded guilty to reduced charges of aggravated theft and carrying a concealed weapon. Judge Carl Mazzone sentenced him to 12 months of community control on each count, with no time served in prison.
Family members described Tunson as a cheerful young man with a generous nature. Rhonda Crowder, Jaiden’s cousin, spoke about his character during the investigation. “He had a loving heart. He had a loving heart and he had a loving spirit all of his life from from a little boy, little toddler to the time that he left us,” Crowder said. The family’s comments underscore the personal impact of the incident on the Shaker Heights community.
The case remains active as prosecutors build their argument. Both defendants are out on bond and are expected to appear in court again as the legal process moves forward. The next scheduled hearing date has not been publicly announced by the court.
