A man from Columbus who was involved in an alleged bar fight and accused of killing another man on the Fourth of July was given a bail of $10 million by a judge in Columbia County.
Jonathan Luna, a resident of Columbus, made his first court appearance on Wednesday afternoon. He has been charged with first degree intentional homicide for the murder of Jesus Fuentes, as well as attempted first degree intentional homicide for firing shots at another man who was present with Fuentes. Luna has also been charged with misdemeanor bail jumping.
The Columbus Police Department released a criminal complaint on Wednesday, revealing that Luna had a minor altercation with two individuals at a bar in Columbus on the night of July 4. Despite not knowing the victims, Luna left the bar after the argument and proceeded to retrieve a firearm from his apartment. He then waited outside the bar for Fuentes and his friend to exit. Luna opened fire on the two but missed. Fuentes and his friend sought refuge in a nearby doorway, but Fuentes emerged and was fatally shot by Luna.
According to the criminal complaint, Luna confessed to the authorities that he was aware of the fact that he had killed someone before buying a bus ticket to Texas. The judge considered this a potential flight risk and also took into account Luna’s attempt to shoot a second victim while setting bail at $10 million.
The pre-trial hearing for Luna has been scheduled on August 26, 2024, where she will be required to appear in court once again.
Although some of Fuentes’ family members were present in court, they declined to speak on-camera. However, they did express that the Columbus community held a great deal of affection for him.