Defendant Pleads Guilty to Killing Boyfriend and Hiding His Body in Leakin Park

Baltimore (Md.) September 3, 2026 - Today, the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City announced that Defendant Eric Jones, Jr. pleaded guilty to First-Degree Murder and Disposing of Human Remains to Conceal a Crime after fatally stabbing his boyfriend, Dashond Johnson, on January 2, 2026, and hiding his body in Leakin Park. The Defendant faces a maximum sentence of Life, suspending all but 50 years, at his disposition hearing on January 8, 2027. Assistant State’s Attorney Erin Godwin prosecuted this case. 

“Intimate partner violence is an issue that can impact anyone, regardless of background, and its consequences can be devastating and deadly,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “The horrific circumstances surrounding Mr. Johnson’s death are heartbreaking for his family and loved ones, who are now left to grieve a life taken at the hands of someone he trusted and loved. While nothing can undo their loss, I hope this plea spares them the additional trauma of a trial while ensuring that justice is delivered on Mr. Johnson’s behalf.”

On January 19, 2026, Baltimore Police Officers responded to 24 S. Bernice Street for a report of a missing person whom family identified as Dashond Johnson. Upon arrival, Officers learned that loved ones had not seen Mr. Johnson in over two weeks. During the course of the investigation, Officers learned that Mr. Johnson and his boyfriend, Eric Jones Jr., resided together at 24 S. Bernice Street. 

The investigation revealed that the Defendant and Victim argued on the night of January 2, 2026, when a male subject outside of 24 S. Bernice Avenue screamed “Oh my God, Oh my God” multiple times while stumbling from 24 S. Bernice Avenue, clutching his chest. The male then collapsed between two parked vehicles and became silent before a second male exited the front door of the residence, observed the collapsed male, retrieved a folding-type cart from the front yard, and placed the unresponsive male into the cart. The second male then returned inside the home. A short time later, the same male exited again, now fully dressed, and wheeled the cart containing the unresponsive male down the street toward the alley. On the morning of January 3, 2026, the same male scrubbed the front steps and sidewalk area in front of 24 S. Bernice Avenue.

Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant for 24 S. Bernice Street and found multiple areas within the residence exhibited positive reactions with luminol, consistent with the presence of blood or cleaned bloodstain patterns.

After being advised of his Miranda rights, which he knowingly and voluntarily waived, the Defendant agreed to speak with detectives, during which he admitted that on January 2, 2026, he became involved in a physical altercation with the Victim and stabbed him multiple times. The Defendant further admitted that he placed the Victim’s body into a wagon, covered it with a suitcase, and transported the body to Leakin Park, where he disposed of it and covered it with stones. The Defendant guided Detectives to the exact location where the body was concealed in the water of Gwynn’s Falls in a wooded area near the 2800 block of W. Baltimore Street in Leakin Park. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found that the Victim’s body had 15 sharp-force injuries.