A Summit County judge found a Barberton man, 26-year-old Justice Oney, not guilty of murdering 25-year-old Nathan Flight of Canton. Oney had argued he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot Flight.
The verdict came after Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands, acting also as the jury in the bench trial, heard testimony from Oney and his wife, who provided differing explanations of what happened in the early morning hours of April 14, 2025, leading to Flight’s death.
Rowlands found Oney not guilty of murder, felony murder, abduction and two counts of felonious assault and the associated firearm specifications.
Attorneys Jacob Will and Marie DiCola represented Oney.
“We are grateful to Judge Rowlands for her careful and thoughtful deliberation in a highly complex and emotionally charged case,” DiCola said in a statement. “We have believed that Justice acted in self-defense from the beginning, and he is so thankful that he can finally put this matter behind him.”
Closing arguments describe different theories
Defense and prosecution agreed that a heated argument between Oney and his wife preceded the shooting. Oney’s wife left their Barberton home on foot, met up with Flight, who had listened to the argument via a phone call with Oney’s wife, and sat next to a retaining wall at East Paige Avenue and 3rd Street Northeast.
Trial testimony showed she and Flight had engaged in a romantic and physical relationship in the months leading up to the fatal incident. Oney testified he didn’t learn about the affair until after his arrest.
The two sides agreed that Oney pepper-sprayed Nathan Flight on April 14, 2025; Justice Oney drew his firearm, aimed it at Flight, who had a knife, and opened fire three times. Seconds later, a fourth shot rang out.
Will and Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Charles Roman said Oney and his wife each provided “wildly” inconsistent versions to law enforcement and on the witness stand. Their divergent stories, if believed, should place Flight’s body near the intersection, not 32 feet away, they both said.
“The distance from the sheath to Nathan’s body corroborates (Oney’s wife’s) version of events,” Roman said at one point.
Will argued the opposite.
“All of the credible evidence points to yes, Justice was justified,” Will said. “They made a hypothetical and made that fact.”
Oney testified that when he left their house after the argument, he was concerned for his wife’s safety. When he pulled up and exited his vehicle at the intersection, she was lying down. That’s when Flight stood up and drew his knife. Oney pepper-sprayed Flight, but continued Flight continued toward Oney with the knife. Oney backed up, pulled out his handgun and fired three times. He stumbled and shot a fourth time.
Oney’s wife said Flight started backing up when Oney drew a gun. Then he fired three times. Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Zachary Neumann said Flight likely had a collapsed lung at that point and fell to the ground.
After a six-second pause, Oney shot Flight in the head, Neumann said.
Bryce Buyakie is an Akron-based reporter who covers the courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X @bryce_buyakie.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Barberton man not guilty in deadly shooting of Nathan Flight
Reporting by Bryce Buyakie, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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By Bryce Buyakie, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
