In the late afternoon of Friday, September 14, 2012, 45-year-old Jason Todd Johnson was seen for the last time at his business in Tempe, Arizona. Johnson, the co-owner of Scottsdale Auto Collision Center, was a dedicated family man and was actively involved in his community. His family grew concerned when he failed to attend several scheduled get-togethers over the weekend and did not show up for work, which was highly uncharacteristic of him.
Three days after he was last seen, his loved ones reported him missing to the Tempe Police Department. Investigators soon discovered that Johnson’s black Toyota Camry was still parked at the Tempe location of his business, just as he had left it. An initial review of his finances and phone records showed no activity since the day he vanished.
The investigation into Johnson's disappearance quickly focused on his business partner, Chad Justin Norris. Employees at the auto body shop told police they had witnessed a heated argument between Johnson and Norris on the day Johnson was last seen. While the exact nature of the dispute was unknown to them, there was speculation it might have been related to the ongoing and lengthy renovations at the shop. When detectives attempted to interview Chad Norris and his wife, Tamara, they were uncooperative. This led police to place the couple under surveillance. They were observed leaving their residence with a box trailer attached to their vehicle, which they later abandoned in Phoenix. This trailer would prove to be a critical piece of evidence in the case.
Upon obtaining a search warrant for the abandoned trailer, authorities made a grim discovery. Inside, they found blood, spent bullet casings, and a wallet containing Jason Johnson's driver's license. This evidence led investigators to believe that Johnson had been shot and killed inside the business premises by Norris, who then disposed of his body. On September 19, 2012, Chad Norris was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, and his wife, Tamara Norris, was charged with hindering the prosecution. In May 2015, after a 15-day bench trial, Chad Norris was found guilty of second-degree murder. Tamara Norris later pleaded guilty to attempting to help her husband cover up the crime. Chad Norris was sentenced to 18 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections. Despite the convictions, Jason Johnson's body has never been recovered, leaving his family without the closure of laying him to rest. The case officially transitioned from a missing person investigation to a homicide case, concluding with the successful prosecution of his business partner, though the victim's whereabouts remain an unresolved and sorrowful mystery.Last Seen: Sep 14, 2012
