Madras man found guilty of murder in Jefferson County

Published 2:12 pm Friday, May 19, 2023

After five hours of deliberation, a Jefferson County jury on Friday found Josiah Washington guilty of the 2020 murder of Jonathan Bonfield.

“It feels like justice has been done, as much as it can be,” said Bonfield’s sister, Nicole, after the verdict was read.

Washington, 22, of Madras, faced charges of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a firearm, criminal conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, and criminal conspiracy to commit unlawful use of a weapon. He was found guilty of all charges unanimously.

Second-degree murder requires, according to Oregon law, a mandatory life sentence. Sentencing is set for June 14 at 11 a.m.

Washington was charged in connection with the July 1, 2020, slaying of 18-year old Bonfield, who was fatally shot near J Street and state Highway 361 in Madras. Washington was accused aside his younger brother, Jakobi Washington, 20, who is set to go to trial in November.

Cellphone GPS data shows the Washington brothers traveled to the home of Marissa Fracasso, where Bonfield was, three times the evening of the shooting, reportedly to take back a vehicle Bonfield was in possession of. Bonfield’s family said the car belonged to Isaiah Bonfield. The key was stuck in the ignition, making it easy to take it just by jumping it.

A few days before the shooting, a Snapchat video shows Josiah Washington in the vehicle that he and Bonfield were, according to the defense, “hopscotching between them.” In the video, Washington states, “Whoever’s watching this, if you ever take this car again, if you ever try anything, best believe I’m … coming for your ass, and I don’t give a (expletive).” The video then pans to Washington’s waist, where a .357, the weapon that killed Bonfield, is seen his waistband.

Fracasso, who was in a relationship with Jakobi Washington at the time, testified that on the second trip the brothers made to her home, she saw them approaching, and recognized Jakobi Washington as the brothers ran away.

Evidence was presented that later that same night, Bonfield slashed the tire of the Washingtons’ mother’s vehicle. Fracasso was on the phone with Jakobi Washington while Bonfield was slashing the tire, and testified she heard Josiah state, “Let’s go get ‘em,” in the background. Washington was later heard in a statement to a police officer stating, “They hit right where it hurts, I don’t play with my mom, bro.”

The state’s case relied largely on Snapchat photos and videos made by the defendant, as well as a letter he wrote in jail to a friend, admitting many aspects of the crime. In that letter he states he was with his brother the night of the shooting, and he isn’t sure if he killed him, or his brother did.

Bonfield was shot shortly after 11 p.m. on July 1, in the presence of Marissa Fracasso in her driveway. Fracasso testified about the night of the shooting, saying she heard Jonathan say, “Oh, (expletive),” and running away. The bullet that killed Bonfield entered his body at the left shoulder, where it broke through the lung and aorta. Shortly after Bonfield was shot, she messaged Washington’s brother, Jakobi, “You just killed him.”

A Snapchat posted by Josiah Washington shows Bonfield lying in the background, posted twice with the captions, “Just killed some 1” and “Got my first body.”

The .357 and a .22 were found wrapped in a sweatshirt in a field near the site of the shooting and the Washingtons’ home. Cellphone data shows the brothers were in that field the night of the shooting.

The defense argued the prosecution presented no evidence that Washington fired the gun.

“Not a single witness is able to say they saw either brother discharge a firearm that day,” said defense attorney Matthew Murphy. “Not a single witness saw what the brothers were doing in the moments before Bonfield was shot.”

The state’s rebuttal showed multiple photos and videos of Josiah Washington with the .357 revolver in question.

The defense also suggested self-defense, saying Bonfield had a knife and attacked Washington. A knife was found at the scene, but the medical examiner’s testimony suggested that the bullet wound trajectory was not consistent with someone facing and moving towards the shooter. Additionally, the defense presented evidence of a small amount of methamphetamine in Bonfield’s system when he died. The state’s medical examiner and a toxicologist hired by the defense stated independently that the amount was small and did not necessarily indicate Bonfield would have been erratic.

“He says he saw a person running towards him with something in his hand,” said Murphy. “He fired a shot in his own self-defense, and sadly that killed Jonathan Bonfield.”

Another factor the defense suggested is that while shots were fired, the scene was too dark to know the bullet would have hit Bonfield and killed him.

Throughout the trial the defense has repeatedly filed for a mistrial, and acquittal on Washington’s behalf. Judge Diane Vitolins did not uphold any of these requests, and the trial continued.

Murphy stated in the defense closing argument: “This is a story about friends, and sadly a tragic one.” He later asked the jury, “Was this an accident, or an execution.”

Jefferson County District Attorney Steven Leriche closed his argument to the jury stating: “Was Jonathan an angel, a saint, probably not. Was he an 18-year-old kid finding his path, potentially. However, for slashing a tire he received the death penalty, and justice needs to be done for that.”

After the verdict was read, Bonfield’s family was in the courtroom, and gave thumbs up after the verdict was read.

“I feel some sense of relief, that this part is done,” said Bonfield’s sister, Sabrina. “I really want to thank the District Attorney and all the police officers and staff for all their hard work on this case. We also want to thank the jury for all the time they put into this case.”