After an Iowa mother refused the advances of a catcaller, the man shot and killed her, leading to his arrest. 43-year-old James Bernard Johnson was found guilty of first-degree murder on Wednesday for killing 42-year-old Nikki Loffredo.
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Catcaller Kills Mother After She Refused To "Get High" With Him
This happened on July 27, 2024, when Johnson catcalled Loffredo, a bartender, from his car, according to the New York Post. He told her to "come get high" with him, but she refused and told the catcaller to "f**k off." When he shouted at her on the sidewalk just before 4 AM, she said, "Who are you? Never mind," before telling him to go away.
Johnson reportedly felt "disrespected" by the bartender. This led him to point a pistol out of his GMC SUV window and shoot Loffredo four times. Johnson quickly fled by speeding away in his vehicle. Loffredo died two days later after succumbing to the fatal gunshot wounds.
The catcaller claimed he only wanted to scare her by shooting the ground. He had spotted her walking around earlier that day and decided to confront her later on. Despite his desperate interest in Loffredo, prosecutors stated that the two had no connections before the incident.
Under a week later, on August 2, the police arrested Johson. Investigators managed to find text messages between the catcaller and his girlfriend where he admitted to his crime. He told his girlfriend that he'd "popped" someone earlier that day.
Investigators also figured out that Johson was high on cocaine and marijuana when the shooting took place. This is no surprise as his criminal record shows previous drug offenses.
Loffredo's family remembers her as a "very kind and compassionate" person in her obituary. They also said that Loffredo "was always willing to help anyone in need." Loffredo loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, but she also "had a love for music and concerts."
She also "loved to spoil her nephews and take them to movies and Chuck E. Cheese." Loffredo is survived by her daughter, two nephews, and four stepbrothers, alongside several other family members.
Now that jurors have found Johson guilty of first-degree murder, they will sentence him on June 20.
