Columbus Police Update Homicide Investigation, Identify Victim and Suspect

(Columbus) Columbus police held a press conference Friday to provide an update on the homicide investigation. According to new information, officers were investigating what they believed to be fireworks downtown around 1:31 a.m. on July 4. At the same time, 911 calls reported a fight.

When officers arrived, they found Jose De Jesus Fuentes Hernandez of Columbus suffering from gunshot wounds. Life-saving measures were attempted, but the 42-year-old was pronounced dead a short time later at Prairie Ridge Health.

Thanks to video footage provided by the public, law enforcement was reportedly able to identify Jonathan Javier Luna of Columbus as the suspect. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office emergency response team executed a search warrant on the 22-year-old’s Columbus residence. He was not there, but some evidence was recovered.

-Image above: Jonathan Javier Luna

Authorities were able to locate the location in Madison where the suspect was located and requested assistance from the city’s police. Javier Luna was taken into custody at 1:54 p.m. Thursday and is currently being held in the Columbia County Jail, where he is charged with first-degree intentional homicide.

The firearm believed to be involved was found on the path the suspect fled on foot. Several shell casings were found at the scene. A broken window was found in a store outside of which the shooting occurred and a projectile was also recovered from the grille of a vehicle parked about 30 yards away.

Columbus Police Chief Dennis Weiner says the cooperation between all agencies involved was “smooth.”

“I’m very proud of everyone… we’re working with agencies in the county… we’re working with agencies outside of the city… it couldn’t have gone better,” Weiner said.

Columbus Mayor Joe Hammer says the city’s condolences and prayers are with the victim’s family.

“These are citizens of our community… well known… highly respected… so it’s obvious that they’ve been taken care of very well,” Hammer says. “It’s not that that doesn’t happen in the big city, but that’s the small town atmosphere. We take care of everyone… we take care of everyone in our community.”

Chief Weiner points out that the public played a key role in solving the case, providing video evidence that led to the suspect’s trail.