News : Murdered man, 23, remembered as enthusiastic sports fan, \'nice kid\'

A 23-year-old former Vinton-Shellsburg student who was murdered in rural Cedar Rapids this week is being remembered for his enthusiasm for the VS volleyball team he accompanied on bus rides to games.

Jimmi-Jon Lee Lint, who suffered from developmental disabilities, had been orphaned following the death of his mother in 2007, and his father in 2011. He was living with a brother at the Ced Rel Motel along highway 30 on the west edge of Cedar Rapids, near the Linn-Benton county line. A registered sex offender who lives there, Michael S. Lehman, has been arrested for stabbing Lint to death on Monday, Nov. 16. Lehman has a long criminal history that includes sexual abuse of a two minor girls, assualt and drug violations.

“It’s so sad,” said former VS volleyball coach Stephanie Miller. The boy known as “Jimmi-Jon” to the coach and players loved riding the bus with his dad, Billie, who drove the Vikettes to away games.

“Jimmi-Jon was a big VS fan,” says Miller. “He enjoyed cheering for the teams I coached and making conversation with coaches and players.”

Miller recalled how Jimmi-Jon and Billie were crushed after the death of his mother, Nancy. Two years after that, Nancy’s foster son Ricky Jay Pascual, died at age 19 of a sudden illness. Ricky had been part of the 2008 VSHS Homecoming Court, says Miller.

Another person who remembers Jimmi-Jon is Carmon Halligan.

"I know he was close to his grandpa before he passed away and he loved video games and had all kinds of stories and ideas to share. He was always smiling through all the struggles he endured. He was a nice kid," she said.

See Jimmi-Jon's obituary page HERE.