Teen charged as an adult in felony kidnapping case is also accused of Oct. 28 homicide

A Pleasant Hope teen accused of killing a Springfield man in late October has been charged as an adult in a separate felony case.

On Feb. 21, Johney Maurice Walker II, 17, was formally charged as an adult with first-degree robbery and first-degree kidnapping. Prosecutors allege Walker tricked a victim into a vehicle, held him at gunpoint, and took his belongings.

The alleged kidnapping took place Sept. 7 incident, 51 days before Walker is accused of shooting and killing 33-year-old Jacob Gatten in a south Springfield neighborhood. The teen was charged with second-degree murder in that case, which initially was handled in the juvenile court system.

Because of the nature of the allegations, the two unrelated cases were examined in a certification process to determine whether or not the 17-year-old suspect should be tried an as adult. Sometimes it can take weeks, other times it can take months.

The News-Leader typically does not name suspects in juvenile criminal reports, and did not name Walker in an initial report about the murder charge. He is being named now that he has been charged as an adult in the kidnapping case, which referenced his alleged involvement in the homicide.

"In addition to committing the offenses of kidnapping and robbery, Walker was recently arrested for homicide," Springfield police detective Daniel Rankey wrote in a police report filed Nov. 11 in connection with the alleged September kidnapping. "Based on these factors alone, he poses a significant danger to the community and the crime victims."

Attempts by the News-Leader to gain clarity from the Greene County Prosecutor's Office on the status of Walker's homicide case were unsuccessful.

Walker appears to have spent more than three months behind bars following his October homicide arrest. His family recently posted the required portion of his $100,000 bail in relation to the kidnapping and robbery charges. His bond conditions called for house arrest and an ankle monitor.

A string of run-ins with law enforcement

In the weeks between Walker's two alleged felony incidents, he was also accused by Missouri State Highway Patrol in Greene County for following too closely in a vehicle crash and not maintaining financial responsibility. He was cited again on Sept. 28 in Christian County for not maintaining financial responsibility and allegedly displaying license plates that belonged to another vehicle.

At the time of those incidents, Walker had not yet been charged for the alleged Sept. 7 kidnapping and robbery, as investigators appear to have still been gathering evidence to put in front of a prosecutor. By the time SPD submitted its police report Nov. 11, Walker was already incarcerated at the Greene County Juvenile Detention Center for the alleged Oct. 28 murder of Gatten.

Walker's identity was not released by authorities for his alleged role in the highly publicized shooting death due to his age. Because he hasn't been charged as an adult for the alleged shooting, very few details have been made available about the incident.

Police said Gatten, 33, was shot following a late-night argument in the street on South Sheridan Boulevard that involved multiple people. The situation quickly escalated, according to police, and Gatten was shot. The alleged shooter fled the scene, but was soon apprehended and charged with second-degree murder.

A relative of the victim said that the altercation started because a frustrated Gatten, who was unarmed, made a comment to a group of nearby partygoing teens because they were blocking the narrow street with parked cars.

Gatten, a 2008 graduate of Bishop McNamara High School who attended Ozarks Technical Community College and Missouri State University, worked as a foreman and carpenter. He had a 3-year-old son.

More: Shooting suspect, 17, charged with murder in juvenile court, sought house arrest

At a Nov. 1 juvenile court hearing following Walker's arrest, the teen's parents said their son had no previous trouble with the law and was on track to graduate early. The teen also said he had no violent history, though it was later determined he was a suspect in the earlier alleged kidnapping and armed robbery.

"I want to be home in my own bed," Walker said at the hearing, where his attorney said the evidence in the case could take longer than usual to gather.

Police: Sept. 7 kidnapping was meant to "terrorize" victim

Springfield Police said Walker had become upset with an unidentified male for talking to one of Walker's female friends, and posed as the girl in text messages in an attempt to lure and "terrorize him" at gunpoint.

After getting into a vehicle the male victim believed to be driven by the girl, according to a police report, he sat down and immediately noticed it was Walker in the driver's seat. Walker then allegedly pointed a gun at the victim's head while Walker's friend, a male sitting in the backseat with a mask covering his face, also pointed a gun in his direction.

They reportedly drove with off with the victim before demanding his cell phone, sweatshirt and vape pen as they drove through portions of Greene County and later Christian County, where the victim got out of the car near Highway AA and Nicholas Road. Walker allegedly racked his gun as the victim left the vehicle, to make it seem as if he was about to pull the trigger.

After the victim ran to a nearby residence and asked they call the police, detectives began to piece together the situation, and reached out to Walker's female friend, who is also listed as a minor. A deputy said she initially claimed to have been driving the car with the victim that evening, saying she had kicked him out for making sexual advances.

Someone identified in the police report as "P1" later contacted police to tell them the girl had fabricated her story about the alleged sexual advances due to pressure from Walker and the person who helped rob the victim.

On Nov. 9, after attaining a search warrant to look through Walker's phone and his September and October text messages, police said they found evidence he admitted his role in the alleged kidnapping and robbery while also telling someone to mind their business.

"Either that or I'll leave you like (victim) who wanted to (mess) with me," the message quoted in the police report reportedly said.

Ryan Collingwood covers a wide range of topics for the News-Leader with an emphasis on public safety. He can be reached by phone at 417-258-8174 and email at rcollingwood@news-leader.com. You can also follow Ryan on social media at X.com/rwcollingwood.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Ozarks teen, suspect in homicide, charged as an adult in kidnapping