Murder Suspect Bonded Out Of Jail Days Earlier

John Deloney

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office

(Cincinnati, Oh.) – The man suspected in the murder of a Cincinnati pizza restaurant owner had been released from jail in Dearborn County just days earlier.

Richard Evans was the owner of Cosmic Pizza in the Hartwell neighborhood of Cincinnati. The father of three was shot dead during a robbery attempt in the restaurant on Saturday, June 15.

On Tuesday, a murder warrant was issued for John G. Deloney, 27. Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Paul Humphries told WLWT-TV that investigators used facial recognition software and surveillance video to IS Deloney as the suspect in the shooting.

Deloney is described as a black male, 6’0” tall, and weighing 285 pounds. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts is asked to call Cincinnati Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040.

Eagle 99.3 has learned that Deloney had a very recent run in with the law in Dearborn County. He was arrested on May 2 on charges of Fraud, Forgery, and Conspiracy to Commit Forgery filed in Dearborn Superior Court II on April 9. In a court filing, Lawrenceburg Police alleged that Deloney and a Cincinnati woman stole a credit card from a patron at Hollywood Casino. The two attempted to use the stolen card at Walmart stores in Aurora and Cincinnati, police said.

According to jail officials at the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center, Deloney had bonded out of jail by posting a $1,500 cash bond on June 8, just seven days before the robbery at Cosmic Pizza occurred.

WLWT-TV reported that Deloney has prior convictions for theft and receiving stolen property.