Witness: Roommate fatally shot after complaining about noise

CEDAR RAPID — Jennica Cicalo testified Wednesday some of the early morning hours of Feb. 15, 2023, are “fuzzy” because she admittedly was intoxicated, but she recalls the “traumatic“ event that happened to her roommate when he told her and co-worker Brannon Johnson to be quiet because he was trying to sleep.

Jorge Maldonado-Vasquez, her roommate who was in the bedroom trying to sleep, came into the living room three times complaining about the noise. The last time he started arguing with Johnson, who stood up from the sofa and tapped his right side, saying he had his gun, she said.

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Cicalo said Maldonado-Vasquez said “’What, you’re going to shoot me. Really?” as if he didn’t believe Johnson. She got in between the two before Maldonado-Vasquez pushed her back onto the sofa as Johnson was pointing the gun.

Cicalo, tearing up, said she heard two gunshots and then everything went “blurry.” Her ears were ringing from the shots and she felt like she was “looking through a filter.” She heard heavy breathing, which she thought was Maldonado-Vasquez, on the floor with multiple gun shot wounds.

Johnson, 22, of Cedar Rapids, is on trial this week in Linn County District Court for first-degree murder. He is accused of fatally shooting Maldonado-Vasquez, 27, after 4:30 a.m. Feb. 15, 2023, in the apartment he and Cicalo shared at Windsor on the River, 2106 Buckingham Dr. NW in Cedar Rapids.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Alex Anderson, during his opening statement, said Johnson fired seven times at Maldonado-Vasquez, striking him a total of six times in the liver, lung and heart. After pushing Cicalo out of the way, Maldonado-Vasquez attempted to grab the gun and in the struggle Johnson accidentally fired one shot, hitting the wall, Anderson said.

As Maldonado-Vasquez fell to the floor, Johnson stood over him and fired more bullets into his body, Anderson said. Maldonado-Vasquez was “defenseless.”

Johnson knew Maldonado-Vasquez could become “difficult” and aggressive when he drank, and he decided he was going to be a “hero” that night to protect Cicalo, Anderson said. He went out to his car and got a Glock handgun after he had been drinking and using drugs.

Johnson showed his gun to another person, Liam Bolsinger, at the apartment that night and told him that if Maldonado-Vasquez tried anything, he was “ready.”

Linn County Chief Public Defender Doug Davis, during his opening statement, said Johnson felt like he needed a weapon. He acted “legally” in discharging it against Maldonado-Vasquez. Davis said Johnson called 911, didn’t leave the scene and cooperated with police.

Cicalo said she and Maldonado-Vasquez were friends and decided to live together. She previously had dated his brother. She and Maldonado-Vasquez considered having a romantic relationship but it didn’t feel right because of her previous relationship with his brother.

She said Maldonaldo-Vasquez’s heavy drinking also was a reason she didn’t pursue an intimate relationship. Cicalo said he became angry and his demeanor toward her changed when he drank. He became more “physical” with her.

She said Johnson, who worked with her at the Chophouse restaurant, had seen Maldonado-Vasquez when he was drinking one night in December 2022 or January 2023, when she had Johnson and other co-workers over to play video games. Maldonado-Vasquez was drunk, got upset and started arguing with her.

Before the shooting on Feb. 15, 2023, Cicalo said Johnson and other co-workers started drinking after work and went to two downtown bars. She admitted to also drinking heavily — tequila shots and mixed drinks.

Johnson was also drunk that night, Cicalo said.

She invited the group back to her apartment and thought it was after 2:30 a.m. She knew Maldonado-Vasquez was in the bedroom, likely sleeping.

Some of the group left but she, Johnson and friend Bolsinger remained, watching TV in the living room when Maldonado-Vasquez came out of the bedroom and asked them to “keep it down.” He was annoyed and became more so when he had to come out two more times. Bolsinger left at that point.

The last time Maldonado-Vasquez came into the living room, he told Johnson and Cicalo to get out, Cicalo said. This is when the argument started.

Cicalo said her roommate wasn’t armed and didn’t try to punch Johnson.

During the Wednesday’s testimony, the prosecution played a recording of the 911 call, which Johnson made. Johnson, on the call, told the police dispatcher he shot his “girlfriend’s ex” six times, but refused to give his name.

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The dispatcher told him to apply pressure to the wounds, which he confirmed he was doing. Johnson said he didn’t want the man to die.

A woman, later identified as Cicalo, is heard on the call crying and screaming in the background. She is helping give the address of the apartment.

Johnson also told the dispatcher he had laid down the gun and it was unloaded.

Cedar Rapids police Officer Nicholas Reinert testified that when he arrived, he found the gun on a tray next to the sofa. There was no round in the chamber and the magazine had been removed.

Reinert said Cicalo was crying, “hysterical” and having a difficult time breathing. But Johnson was calm. He told the officer he didn’t need to take a breath. Johnson provided his identification and cooperated with police.

Testimony in the murder case may wrap up Friday or Monday.

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