In Investigation Discovery’s ‘Feuds Turned Fatal: Body Shop of Horrors,’ the focus is on the sudden disappearance and murder of Jason Johnson in 2012. As the investigators dug deeper into the victim’s life and the circumstances surrounding his death, they came across an unsettling revelation. With the help of insightful interviews with people from both sides of the coin, the episode provides the viewers with a detailed account of the case as well as the investigation that ensued.
Jason Johnson Went Missing From His Workplace
Jason Todd Johnson was the co-owner of Scottsdale Auto Collision Center, where he was last seen before he went missing on September 14, 2012. According to his loved ones, Jason was a devoted family man who was also regularly involved in community service. As a matter of fact, the day before he disappeared, he was scheduled to take part in voluntary community service with the Sheriff’s Office. Out of everyone in his life, he had a close-knit bond with his sister, Ericka Weistrich. When Jason did not attend the get-togethers with his family and friends over the weekend after his disappearance, they became worried about his well-being and whereabouts.
Thus, three days after he was seen at his auto body repair shop near Priest Drive and Elliot Road in Tempe, on September 17, 2012, they reported the 45-year-old man missing. Things became more concerning when he failed to show up at work, something which was unlike him. Without any delay, an extensive search was launched by the authorities, who found his black Toyota Camry parked right outside his shop. Upon looking into his bank account activity and cellphone activity, the detectives found no records of any activities in either of them since he was last seen on September 14. Until this day, Jason Johnson’s body has not been found, but he is declared to be dead.
Jason Johnson’s Business Partner Was Responsible For His Demise
As part of their search for Jason Johnson, the investigators got in touch with his loved ones and acquaintances, including the employees at his shop. According to the testimonies of various employees, he and his business partner, Chad Norris, got involved in a heated argument over an unknown subject the day Jason went missing. Although nobody was sure what the topic of the argument was, there were speculations that Jason used to get frustrated about the renovation of the shop, which had been in progress for more than three months. When the authorities contacted Chad and his wife, Tamara Norris, about the disappearance of Jason, they were far from cooperative and told them to talk to their lawyer.
In order to gather all the evidence they could find, the detectives obtained a search warrant for the victim’s car and the shop. At the same time, they also initiated surveillance of Chad as he was considered a person of interest in the case. During their surveillance, they followed him and his wife as they abandoned their trailer, which was attached to the rear of an SUV, in a Phoenix parking lot after making several stops between Phoenix and Tempe. With the help of cadaver dogs, they were able to locate the trailer and find trails of blood, several spent bullet casings, Jason’s driving license, a plastic glove, and a piece of paper with Johnson’s name and address on it. Furthermore, upon searching the suspect’s house, they discovered a gun that matched the caliber of the bullet casing found in their abandoned trailer.
In light of all the incriminating evidence, the police arrested Chad and Tamara Norris on September 19, 2012, under the suspicion of their involvement in the second-degree murder and felony hindering related to the death of Jason Johnson. While the former’s bond was set at $350,000, his wife’s bond was set at $15,000. According to the investigators, Chad murdered Jason and disposed of his body with the help of Tamara. About a week later, on September 28, 2012, Chad was officially indicted on one count of second-degree murder.
Chad Justin Norris is Serving His Sentence at an Arizona Prison Facility
Less than three years later, in May 2015, Chad Justin Norris stood trial for the killing of his company’s co-founder, Jason Johnson. After a couple of weeks, on May 28, the jury found him guilty and convicted him of second-degree murder. Meanwhile, his wife, Tamara Norris, pleaded guilty to attempting to help her husband cover up his crime. During the trial, Jason’s sister, Ericka, also talked about how the tragedy had affected the family. When she found out Chad had a hand in it, she said she felt “most anger I’ve ever had towards anybody.” She also emphasized the fact that she couldn’t even bury her beloved brother. Before Chad’s sentencing, the victim’s daughter took the stand and said, “Only the most disgusting person can do something like this to someone’s family.”
His family demanded the judge give the killer the maximum sentence of 25 years. On the other hand, Chad stood silent throughout the proceedings and preferred not to speak anything before the court. Less than a couple of months after his conviction, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the 2012 murder of Jason Johnson. After his release, he would be under supervision and obliged to serve his entire sentence. On top of his imprisonment sentence, the court also ordered him to pay $350 in restitution to Ericka Weistrich as compensation for her travels from California. As of today, he is incarcerated at Arizona State Prison Complex – Yuma in San Luis, Arizona, awaiting his prison release date, which is scheduled for September 2030.
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