Goshen man charged with murder in shooting of Elkhart man

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. (WNDU) - A Goshen man has been charged with murder in connection with a shooting that left an Elkhart man dead this past weekend.

Ja Liahs Michael Curry, 23, of Goshen was officially charged with murder on Tuesday for the shooting death of Thomas Ray Johnson, 37, of Elkhart back on Saturday morning.

According to court documents, Johnson heard a woman yelling for help outside his apartment in the 2300 block of W. Lexington Avenue in Elkhart at about 5:15 a.m. That’s when Johnson went outside and reportedly saw Curry beating his girlfriend.

The probable cause affidavit goes on to say that Curry shot Johnson when he tried to intervene. Johnson’s girlfriend then called 911, but he died later at the hospital.

Investigators were eventually led to an apartment in the 600 block of N. Second Street in Goshen where Curry was. He reportedly refused to come out, so the Elkhart County SWAT team was called.

Curry was taken into custody later that morning at around 11:45 a.m. He is being held in the Elkhart County Jail without bond.

Curry’s initial appearance in court is scheduled for Thursday morning.