Kriti Mehrotra
If there’s one thing absolutely nobody can deny, it’s that nothing (except maybe self-defense) can excuse murder owing to the simple fact no one can atone for or compensate for a life taken. This is arguably part of the reason true-crime tales of such manner are so popular these days; the how and why behind people breaking every bound to satisfy their own needs is intriguing. Thus, of course, A&E’s ‘Witness to Murder: Digital Obsession,’ chronicling the homicide of Morgan Fox, highlights the same.
Morgan Fox Was Brutally Shot to Death
At the relatively young age of 29, Morgan was honestly leading a good, happy, and independent life in North Canton, Ohio, when everything was snatched away from her in the blink of an eye. The truth is, according to her loved ones, this mother of one, as well as a FedEx employee, was also a bright light for her community owing to her sheer care, empathy, and compassion for others. Therefore, the news of her October 28, 2020, demise baffled not only her city but also the entire state to its very core — it was hard for anyone to even imagine she could’ve been so brutally killed.
After all, as per official records, Morgan was ambushed in the early hours of the fateful day outside her Frazer Avenue, Plain Township home while stepping into her vehicle to head off for work. She was actually found lying there at around 6:30 am by her boyfriend as he returned from his own workplace, only for him to immediately dial 911 for some help, yet it was already way too late. It turns out the young woman had been shot twice in the head, and since none of her personal belongings were apparently stolen, it became evident her murder was nothing short of an execution.
Morgan Fox Was Killed by a Co-worker
Because the circumstances surrounding Morgan’s homicide indicated she was not a victim of a drive-by shooting or a random target, investigators paid attention to those personally close to her first. That’s how her 29-year-old co-worker/FedEx operations manager Jason Alan McDermitt was positively identified as her perpetrator within a week — per reports, they’d recently had a falling out. He was allegedly obsessed with her and had thus taken her cell to go through her photos and applications without permission, making her feel betrayed and cutting off their friendship for good.
It had also come to light that Jason led a rather fantasy-based life online; digital evidence actually revealed he often spoke of Morgan in a very sexual manner to another individual over Skype. These conversations between the duo sometimes happened multiple times a day and covered other women as well as matters like video games to o, but the former’s primary focus was the victim.
This is how Jason was initially implicated, yet the most crucial piece of evidence against him basically placed him at the crime scene. According to documents, he’d parked his vehicle in a neighbor’s yard while waiting to jump Morgan, resulting in it kicking up a lot of mud as he backed away following the heinous shooting. So, video cameras later captured him observing his tires outside a store and getting a car washed, which made it clear he was pretty involved.
We should even mention that Jason had penned a lengthy note to memorialize Morgan on his Facebook profile on November 1, which read, “You were such a bright light in my life and so many others, and was always there for me when I needed it… I wish I had time to list all the ways you have impacted my life, but the list would be so long we’d never make it to the end. You were the friend where if I was having a bad day, I knew I could always come talk to you.”
Jason then continued, “It’s so strange not having you around to talk to, and this has left a giant hole in my heart, but I know you will always be watching over us, your family, your friends, and your daughter. You have left a lasting impact on all of our lives, and you will never be forgotten.” He’d actually concluded this post with the hashtag #JusticeforMorganAshlye, and three days later, he was arrested for stalking and murder on the basis of the available evidence.
Jason McDermitt is Currently Serving Time in Prison
From what we can tell, following Jason McDermitt’s November 4, 2020, arrest, as well as his ensuing not-guilty plea, he was held on a $2 million bond at the Stark County Jail awaiting trial. He then remained there until the spring of 2021, that is, until jurors found him guilty of aggravated murder and menacing by stalking on April 8 after hearing testimonies from her loved ones plus detectives.
Jason did not testify in his own defense, nor did he purportedly give a statement or apologize in any way, shape, or form prior to his April 14, 2021, sentencing of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Thus, as per the State Department of Corrections Inmate Records, today, at the age of 33, he remains incarcerated at the medium-security Noble Correctional Institution in Caldwell, Ohio.
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