Boulder City man faces murder charge for 2021 shooting

John Powell Morgan III was arrested at a car dealership in Henderson just after 7 p.m. Saturday, ending a five year investigation into the death of his friend. Boulder City Police Department charged him with one count of open murder involving a deadly weapon for an incident that occurred on May 31, 2021, on Fairway Drive.

The case was reopened after investigators received new information in 2025. Police executed a search warrant at Morgan’s residence in April of last year and recovered items that supported further inquiry. Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Giles told the court that the arrest stems from newly located witnesses and video footage that Morgan previously denied existed. Giles noted that several minutes of video were deleted or renamed from the system during critical times of the case.

At Morgan’s initial appearance in Boulder City Justice Court on Monday, Judge Gregory Mills presided via video conference. Mills set bail at $1 million. Morgan’s attorney, Louis Schneider, asked for a $50,000 bail, arguing his client is not a flight risk. Schneider presented a video showing Scott Dingman holding a loaded gun to Morgan’s head about two hours before the shooting. He described the two as engaging in horseplay, a claim supported by the police report according to the family’s attorney, Maggie McLetchie. Schneider stated that Morgan will plead not guilty at his arraignment scheduled for 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Ashley Dingman, the victim’s wife, said in an email that she feels relief and hope after five and a half years of fighting for justice. Her brother, Joshua Dingman, praised detectives Chris Slack and James Garcia for moving the case forward. He also called for accountability regarding the original investigation, specifically mentioning Police Chief Tim Shea. A city spokeswoman said Boulder City has no further comment at this time.

Morgan’s mother, Teri Kerr, spoke after the hearing, calling her son innocent and stating that his life has been threatened. She attributed the arrest to corrupt officials. In April of last year, Morgan was arrested at his home on drug charges. A redacted report showed Officer James Garcia found a white powdery substance consistent with cocaine, a digital scale, and baggies in a bedroom during a search warrant execution. At that time, BCPD stated the drug arrest was unrelated to the fatal shooting.