Slaying Charges Upheld

A friend’s bloodstained car and the testimony of a former girlfriend yesterday tied accused killer Nigul Jervon Carl Johnson to the Sept. 8 slaying of James Curtis Adams.

Police allege Johnson, 21, is one of three people who ambushed the 35-year-old Adams in the 200 block of North Grant Street around 1:40 am, and fatally stabbed him.

After Johnson’s preliminary hearing, District Justice Richard Martin II determined enough evidence exists to send homicide and homicide conspiracy charges to trial in York County Court.

He was unconvinced by Harrisburg defense attorney Justin McShane’s argument that the evidence fell short.

During the hearing, members of Adams’ family packed one side of the courtroom, some crying, others silent. Johnson’s family filled the other side. People on both sides commented audibly on testimony and attorneys’ statements they either liked or didn’t agree with.

Family not happy: Johnson’s family was not happy with the testimony of prosecution witness James Caplinger of York County.

He said he’d been a friend of Johnson’s since 2002 and — as he had on past occasions — lent Johnson his girlfriend’s black Saturn sedan Sept. 5.

Caplinger said Johnson gave him $150 and $50 worth of crack-cocaine in exchange for using the vehicle. He said he knew Johnson by the street name ‘Spazz,” as well as by the alias “Chris Jefferson.”

Caplinger said Johnson called him at home around 2a.m. Sept. 8.

‘He just told me l needed to come get my car. He told me to go down to Parkway Boulevard,” he said.

Caplinger said he met Johnson on Bare Avenue, an alley that intersects Parkway.

“I looked at the car and nearly s– myself,” he said. “(It was) covered in blood … inside and outside.”

He said Johnson told him, “One of my boys got cut and I took him to the hospital.”

“He told me to get rid of the car,” Caplinger said. “I covered it with blankets before I got in.’

Two days later, he said, police contacted him about the car.

Detective: Blood matches: Lead detective Scott Nadzom also took the stand, testifying he collected blood samples from inside the car, which a state-police crime lab matched with samples of the victim’s blood.

Nadzom said he also collected fingerprints from the cars exterior. A national fingerprint database put a name to one of the prints, but first deputy district attorney Lori Yost said its unclear whether that person was involved in Adams’ slaying.

Yost also questioned Heather Wilhelm of York, Johnson’s former girlfriend and the mother of his 14-month-old son.

Wilhelm testified that Johnson called her around 2a.m. and said he wanted to come over. She said that wasn’t unusual because he regularly visited his son.

“He told me that he got in a fight,’ she said.

After he arrived, he put on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, then confessed, Wilhelm testified.

‘He told me he got in a fight with some friends and that he cut somebody,” she said.

Eyewitness: The only other person to take the stand was Maria E. Rivera, who lives in the 200 block of Grant Street and witnessed the slaying.

She recounted seeing three people in the area: One walking with Adams, a second one hiding and a third signaling the second.

She said they tripped Adams, then held down his arms and stabbed him.

He was wounded twice in the upper right arm and bled to death. Police followed a trail of blood to his home, where they called an ambulance. Adams was rushed to York Hospital, but died there at 2:27a.m., according to Yost.

Rivera said after the stabbing, the three attackers got into a car, and that Adams banged on the car and said, “Look what … you did to me.”

The trio then got out of the car and attacked Adams again before driving off, she said.

Police have not yet identified the two others who they say were with Johnson.

After yesterdays hearing, Johnson was returned to the York County Prison without bail. His court arraignment is set for Jan. 28.