Jacob Colt Johnson, The Superior Man, Receives Maximum Sentence for Second-Degree Murder and Gruesome Dismemberment of Friend

Jacob Colt Johnson, the Superior resident who subsequently drove Ricky Balsimo’s body several hours north to the Twin Ports and enlisted the help of others to dismember and dispose of the remains in Lake Superior, was handed the statutory maximum sentence for second-degree murder.

Jacob Colt Johnson Receives Maximum Sentence for Second-Degree Murder. (Photo: GoFundMe)

Longtime Friendship Ends in Tragedy: Ricky Balsimo Jr. and Jacob Colt Johnson

According to the report from Superior Telegram, Ricky Balsimo Jr. and Jacob Colt Johnson shared a deep and enduring friendship, having known each other since their school days. Johnson was considered like family by the Balsimos, often staying at their home and being someone Ricky’s parents could rely on. In the eyes of the Balsimo family, Jacob Colt Johnson was more than just a friend; he was treated like family. The two friends were so close that it was routine for them to be mere blocks away from the Balsimo family home.

However, the trajectory of their friendship took a tragic and unimaginable turn on Father’s Day in 2021, a day that should have been marked by celebration and togetherness. Instead, it became a day of profound sorrow. Tragically, on that fateful day, while both were in a moving car, Jacob Colt Johnson fired at least four fatal shots that claimed the life of his friend Ricky Balsimo Jr.

This shocking act of violence shattered the bonds of friendship and left the Balsimo family reeling in disbelief and grief. What was once a close-knit relationship between two friends, nurtured over the years, ended in the most tragic and devastating manner imaginable.

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Justice Served: Horrific Crime and Maximum Sentence for Jacob Colt Johnson

According to Dulute News Tribute’s report, in a Cook County courtroom, Jacob Colt Johnson, the man from Superior, received the statutory maximum sentence for second-degree murder after he transported Ricky Balsimo’s body to the Twin Ports and sought the help of others to dismember and dispose of it in Lake Superior.

Judge Michael Cuzzo, in delivering the 40-year prison term, described the case as “so horrific that it’s hard to even describe without my stomach churning.” Family members shared their profound grief and loss, emphasizing the lasting impact of Jacob Colt Johnson’s actions on their lives.

Jacob Colt Johnson, who declined to speak during the hearing, faced a unanimous guilty verdict for intentional and unintentional murder from a Duluth jury.

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