Man accused in Paige Johnson’s disappearance, death returns to court Monday

BATAVIA, Ohio. (FOX19) - The man charged in connection with the 2010 disappearance and death of Florence teen Paige Johnson is expected to return to a Clermont County courtroom Monday for a final hearing before his jury trial next month.

Jacob Bumpass, 34, of Finneytown appeared before Clermont County Common Pleas Court Judge Victor Haddad for a pre-trial hearing.

Bumpass was indicted in 2020 on felony charges of abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.

His jury trial is set for Oct. 31.

Police have maintained Bumpass was the last person to see 17-year-old Paige alive.

She went missing on Sept 23, 2010, after Bumpass claimed he dropped her off at 15th and Scott streets in Covington.

The evidence pointed elsewhere though, Kenton County Prosecutor Rob Sanders has said. Bumpass was one of her acquaintances and was considered a suspect.

Authorities believed Bumpass was in Clermont County the night she vanished.

Sanders has said Bumpass’ cell phone records put him in the area of East Fork Lake State Park the morning Johnson disappeared.

Almost a decade after she went missing, Johnson’s remains were found in March 2020 near East Fork State Park in Clermont County.