Man who admitted shooting Scott Dingman in Boulder City now charged with murder, held on $1M bail

More than five years after Scott Dingman was found shot to death in a Boulder City street, the man who admitted killing him is now charged with murder.

For the past year, 13 Investigates has uncovered serious questions about the original police investigation and followed the Dingman family's fight for answers. Monday morning, our camera was in court as John Powell Morgan III was declared a flight risk and given $1 million bail.

Scott's widow, Ashley Dingman, took her push for answers public with 13 Investigates in 2025.

"They wanted me to go away," Dingman said. "And I'm not going anywhere."

When I noted that it had been years and she had not let this go, she responded, "And I won't until justice is served."

That day finally came Saturday, when Morgan was arrested and charged with open murder with a deadly weapon.

Monday morning, wearing a blue jail jumpsuit, Morgan faced a judge for the first time in a case that dates back to May 2021 a case he thought was behind him.

Morgan admitted shooting his friend Scott Dingman but claimed to police in 2021 that it was self-defense. Records obtained by 13 Investigates and reviews by law enforcement experts found evidence that raised significant questions about that claim.

"I have never seen flaws to this level that have gone unchecked," said Jamie Borden of Critical Incident Review. Borden was hired by the Dingman family to review the initial police investigation.

After our investigation began, Boulder City reopened the case with new detectives, who developed new evidence and identified additional witnesses. Even then, prosecutors initially declined to file charges, citing the death of the only eyewitness.

"Every case that they go to fight, if they don't have an eyewitness, do they just say, 'Oh, we're not gonna go forward'?! No. That's not how the system works," said Dingman family friend Darla Wing.

After the D.A.'s decision drew criticism, the case took another turn. Prosecutors reversed course, and Morgan was arrested over the weekend.

Appearing by video Monday, Morgan remained silent while his attorney addressed the court.

"OK, do you care if we can hear the defendant?" Judge Gregory Mills asked.

"Your Honor, I would rather let my client remain silent and I'll speak for him," attorney Louis Schneider said.

Prosecutors asked for no bail, arguing Morgan poses a danger and pointing to inconsistencies in his statements, his criminal history and pending felony drug charges.

"That charge is a trumped-up charge, Your Honor. I'm not going to comment about where how those drugs ended up in the house but they were not in his room," Schneider said.

As for the murder case, prosecutors described a complicated path.

"This case has a somewhat long and tortured history, and part of that is because of Mr. Morgan's involvement in what he said, that did not seem to track with the physical evidence. It also appears that video that Mr. Morgan initially denied existed now exists, but there are several pieces of that video evidence that are missing, having been deleted from the system," Deputy D.A. Michael Giles said.

After hearing from both sides, Judge Gregory Mills labeled Morgan "high risk."

"So, I do believe there is a risk to the community. This case involves drugs, involves an individual being killed it appears out in the middle of the street," Mills said.

Bail was set at $1 million. If Morgan posts bond, he'll be placed on high-level electronic monitoring and barred from contacting witnesses, their families and law enforcement.

Ashley Dingman said she's grateful the case is finally moving forward. While she still has concerns about Boulder City's original investigation, she calls the arrest an important step toward accountability and the justice her husband deserves.

Morgan's felony arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 3.