Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
OGDEN — A Roy man was convicted Tuesday of killing his friend over a money dispute and abandoning the body in a parking lot, where it went unnoticed for days.
A jury found Daniel Lee Johnson, 49, guilty of murder, a first-degree felony; obstructing justice, a second-degree felony; abuse of a dead body and use of a firearm by a restricted person, third-degree felonies.
Johnson was arrested in April 2021 after shooting Steve Bailey, 38, while both men had been at Johnson's house. An investigation began after a passerby found Bailey in a parking lot in the 3200 block of Orchard Avenue, in Ogden, according to Roy police.
Bailey suffered a single gunshot wound to the head.
As police from several agencies investigated the incident, they learned that Bailey had an argument with Johnson the evening of April 10, 2021, regarding a "financial disagreement."
Jury members heard testimony from investigators and family members of Bailey, including the victim's mother who recalled how Bailey's daughter was "always in his arms."
Bailey loved the outdoors, Johanna Bailey-Graham said, and was happy, positive and excited during his last day alive.
Jury members also heard recordings of interviews with several children who were in the home at the time of the murder. There were three children between the ages of 9 and 15 in the house when the shooting occurred, according to investigators.
Johnson was found guilty of shooting Bailey, putting the body in Bailey's car and driving him to the parking lot in Ogden where he was later found.
"Johnson never contacted the police nor did he seek medical attention for the victim. Johnson is a drug user who was in possession of a firearm," a police affidavit states.
Police noted that not only did Johnson fail to report the death of his friend, but he also gave investigators false information.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 12.
