Couple Charged in the Murder of a Chattanooga Pastor Face Judge

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Murder suspect, Jordan Craig, walked into Thursday’s preliminary hearing and smiled.

Her boyfriend, Steven Kelley, walked in with an angry look on his face.

Both are accused of murdering Reverend Kenneth Johnson last month.

His wife was in court and argued why she should be allowed to listen to the state’s only witness .. A Chattanooga police officer.

She said, "My husband had rights and I came for him."

Judge Clarence Shattuck adds, "m’am please please don’t interrupt."

Johnson’s wife was ultimately allowed to stay inside the courtroom.

She heard an officer tell Judge Shattuck that Johnson was beaten to death and left in a ditch along Blackford Street.

An attorney told the court, "The account given by the defendants was that they were involved in a purchase of drugs from Reverend Johnson."

Craig told investigators she bought drugs from Johnson in the past.

This time, he reportedly offered a Morphine pill and Hydrocodone in exchange for sexual favors.

A Chattanooga investigator, says, "She declined, this caused her boyfriend Stephen Kelley to become upset."

Police say Kelley was hiding and at some point approached Johnson.

The Chattanooga investigator adds, "She claims that Johnson had a crow bar at this time, hit her boyfriend with a crow bar and started a physical altercation between the two."

However, Kelley apparently didn’t have any injuries after the alleged fight.

His statement to police was also different than his girlfriend’s.

Kelley says Craig agreed to sexual favors.

The Chattanooga investigator says, "He felt bad like he was pimping her out, so he approached Johnson to stop him."

And that’s when Kelley says he was attacked by Johnson.

Judge Shattuck adds, "The courts going to let the case go on to the grand jury."

Judge Shattuck says one piece of information in particular bothered him.

He adds, "Why does he have to hide in the backseat or get down to the car when they get to the ally?"

Now, it’s up to a grand jury to decide if a trial will be in these suspects’ future.

The Chattanooga police officer called as a witness also told the judge that Johnson’s car had been ransacked.

However, they couldn’t find any of the items, like drugs and a wallet, in Kelley or Craig’s possession.

The judge reduced bond for Craig and Kelley’s robbery charges, but not murder charges.