DAYTON — The man accused of shooting and killing a landscaper during an argument over grass clippings appeared in court on Monday.
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News Center 7’s John Bedell was in court as Travis Jackson faced a judge.
After entering a not guilty plea, the court gave Jackson a seven-figure bond.
“We’ll set bond in your case at $1 million cash or surety,” Dayton Municipal Court Judge Christopher Roberts said.
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News Center 7’s John Bedell talked to Jackson’s lawyer over FaceTime about an hour and a half after his first court appearance.
“For the limited information we have at this point and from people we’ve spoke to, we believe this is a case of self-defense. We’re going to obviously pore through the discovery provided by law enforcement. Our client was not looking for trouble that particular day. He was merely going to the store. He was at his residence, and an altercation ensued, and it turned very violent very quickly, where he was being victimized, and he responded in self-defense. And we believe that the evidence is going to show that in the future,” Defense lawyer Anthony VanNoy said.
As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, Jackson was at his home along Indiana Avenue last Thursday.
>>RELATED: Lawn care company identifies 22-year-old employee shot, killed in argument over grass clippings
Dunham’s Lawn Care and Landscaping identified the victim as Tanner Staggs, 22. He was working on landscaping at a neighbor’s house at the time.
There was a conversation that became aggressive, then turned violent.
Police said it ended with Jackson shooting and killing Staggs.
“I was inside and I heard a couple shots,” Dayton resident Conrad Good said.
Dayton police said Jackson came out of his home and argued with Staggs over grass and dirt on his car from the landscaping work.
“There was a conversation, and then it turned very aggressive, and then he was assaulted during the course of this conversation. So you know they used the term ‘argument’ about certain things, but the reality was it was a conversation, and he requested them to do something and then the next thing you know, he’s being assaulted by an individual who he had no beef with at all... And then he called the police, and he reached out to folks for help. Given what happened, and he even rendered aid to the individual who had been shot,” VanNoy said.
Police and a witness News Center 7 spoke with said the altercation ended with Jackson coming into the road and shooting Staggs.
“In the street, he had a gun in his hand and then I hear two shots,” Dayton resident Gus Sinclair said.
Prosecutors said it was murder.
“I don’t know if they had some kind of altercation beforehand, but like that, that’s just crazy,” Dayton resident Julian Hickman said.
VanNoy said he will be able to prove otherwise.
“I believe the assault was significant enough that he nearly lost consciousness. And so that’s what we believe. Again, it’s so early in the investigation. We’re unpacking information, but that’s the information that we have at this point. That this is a case of self-defense. Our client was at his residence. He was lawfully present where he was, and a conversation turned aggressive. And then became violent, unfortunately, where he was assaulted,” VanNoy said.
Jackson’s lawyer said he called 911 after the shooting.
So far, the one 911 call dispatchers produced in response to our public records request did not come from Jackson.
News Center 7 reached back out to Montgomery County dispatch on Monday and asked them to check if any other 911 calls came from the scene.
Jackson remains booked in the Montgomery County Jail.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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