Ohio Man Convicted, Guilty of Abuse of Corpse and Evidence Tampering After 10-Year Search

A recent case involving an Ohio man has led to conviction of abuse of a corpse and evidence tampering in connection with the disappearance of a Kentucky teenager. After more than a decade, justice has been served for 17-year-old Paige Johnson of Florence, Kentucky.

During the investigation into Paige Johnson’s disappearance, authorities had initially questioned Ohio man Jacob Bumpass, a friend of hers, as he was believed to be the last person to have seen her alive. (Photo: Clermont County Sherriff’s Office)

Ohio Man Convicted

The 35-year-old Ohio man, Jacob Bumpass was found guilty by a jury in Clermont County, Ohio, after they deliberated for over nine hours across two days, U.S. News reported.

Defense attorneys have expressed their intentions to appeal the verdict and seek a new trial.

Paige Johnson’s remains were discovered in 2020 by a hiker in East Fork State Park, approximately 20 miles east of Cincinnati, in the same vicinity where investigators had previously conducted searches after she went missing in September 2010.

However, despite the discovery of her body, the cause of her death remains undetermined.

During the investigation into Paige Johnson’s disappearance, authorities had initially questioned Ohio man Jacob Bumpass, a friend of hers, as he was believed to be the last person to have seen her alive.

The prosecution showed DNA evidence and records showing that the Ohio man’s cell phone was pinged by a cell tower just over a mile away from the place where the body was found, and then again near a bridge leading back to northern Kentucky.

In his defense, Ohio man Jacob Bumpass’s attorney, Louis Sirkin said that Paige Johnson’s body may have been placed in the East Fork Lake area after her disappearance.

The implication was that if her remains had been there all along, they would likely have been noticed by workers at a nearby farm or people using the area for illegal dumping.

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Ohio Man’s Verdict Brings Relief to the Victim’s Family

According to CBS News, Paige Johnson’s mother, Donna Johnson, expressed her relief after the verdict of the Ohio man, stating the long wait and emotional hardship she had endured since her daughter’s remains were held in evidence pending the trial.

Now, with the trial of the Ohio man concluded, she can finally bring her daughter home and provide her with the dignity she deserves. Despite the conviction of the Ohio man, the anguish of not knowing the full truth about what happened to Paige Johnson still lingers.

Donna Johnson has expressed that she believes Jacob Bumpass may never reveal the whole story, leaving her with a profound sadness that will stay with her forever.

The sentencing for Ohio man Jacob Bumpass is scheduled for September 7.

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