On a spring day in 2017, a dispute over a car at a residence in Pierce County, Washington, escalated into a fatal encounter for J Christopher Burton. The 50-year-old male was at a home in the Frederickson area on May 6th when a man, accompanied by Justin Jennings, arrived to inquire about a vehicle the friend had previously left there.
An argument erupted between Burton and the friend, which quickly turned physical.
At that point, Jennings intervened by deploying bear spray inside the mobile home, filling the space with the potent irritant. As the confrontation continued, Burton reportedly began throwing objects at Jennings. In response, Jennings produced a semi-automatic handgun and fired twice, striking Burton in the chest. The two men then fled the scene. Despite the arrival of medical aid, J Christopher Burton was pronounced dead at the residence.
Witnesses at the home were able to identify both Jennings and his friend to law enforcement. The following day, a Pierce County Sheriff's deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for attempting to elude them and recognized a passenger as Justin Jennings, who was wanted in connection with the homicide. Jennings was taken into custody and received medical treatment for a hand injury before being booked into the Pierce County Jail.
Justin Jennings, who was 39 at the time, was charged with second-degree murder. During his trial, his defense argued that he acted in self-defense, believing Burton was armed. However, prosecutors contended that Jennings and his friend arrived at the home armed and initiated the aggressive confrontation. In June 2018, a Pierce County jury found Justin Jennings guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of J Christopher Burton. Burton was remembered by his mother as a prankster who made everyone laugh and is survived by his son and two grandchildren.
