Just days after Ohio mother Morgan Fox was shot and killed in her driveway, her coworker Jason McDermitt took to Facebook to share an emotional tribute to her.
“You were such a bright light in my life and so many others, and was always there for me when I needed it,” the November 1, 2020, message read, according to The Repository.
“It’s so strange not having you around to talk to and this has left a giant hole in my heart, but I know you will always be watching over us, your family, your friends, and your daughter. You have left a lasting impact on all of our lives, and you will never be forgotten.”
Three days later, McDermitt was arrested for Fox’s murder. Authorities alleged that he had developed an unhealthy obsession with his coworker.
“Jason McDermitt’s the type of person that if he couldn’t have Morgan,” Stark County Sheriff’s Detective Bryan Johnson explained in Oxygen’s Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins, “then nobody could.”
Who Was Morgan Fox?
Before her death, Fox was a devoted single mother to her daughter, Emilia. She was also one of 13 children and deeply loved her family.
“Morgan had a generous soul and was very giving,” her obituary stated. “She had a love for animals, her family, and her daughter Emilia was her life, she will be deeply missed by all.”
At just 29 years old, Fox had also built a successful career at FedEx, where she quickly advanced into a management position at an Ohio distribution center.
Photo: Facebook
However, her professional success did not mean that everything at work was going smoothly.
According to investigators, Fox had experienced harassment and inappropriate behavior from some coworkers.
“It appeared that there were a lot of things that people were doing to Morgan to harass and upset her, like she was overhearing employees talk about her in a sexual manner,” Detective Johnson explained. “We learned that Morgan made a complaint, which initially didn’t go anywhere and Morgan was not letting that go.”
The night before her murder, Fox sent an email to her company’s human resources department describing her concerns about the workplace environment.
“I feel like I’m being targeted at work,” she wrote. “I feel uncomfortable at work. I just want to come to work…and contribute in any way that I can.”
What Happened to Morgan Fox?
The following morning, shortly after 1:30 a.m., Fox was leaving for an early work shift when she was shot in the driveway of her home in North Canton, Ohio.
According to the Stark County Sheriff’s Office, her boyfriend discovered her body partially outside her vehicle. Her cellphone was lying on the ground nearby.
He immediately called 911, telling the dispatcher, according to the television series, “I’m pretty sure my girlfriend’s [expletive] dead.”
As news of Fox’s death spread among her coworkers, McDermitt posted his emotional Facebook tribute, referring to her as “Foxy.”
Jason McDermitt Stole Morgan Fox’s Cell Phone Before Her Death
By this point, investigators had uncovered an incident at FedEx that had reportedly upset Fox.
Several male coworkers, including McDermitt, had taken her cellphone and looked through its contents.
Surveillance footage later obtained by NBC’s Dateline reportedly showed McDermitt examining the phone, which contained a photograph of Fox wearing underwear.
After acknowledging his involvement, McDermitt told investigators that Fox was clearly unhappy about the incident and had stopped communicating with him.
Detectives also discovered that McDermitt had allegedly become obsessed with his coworker. According to Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins, he had secretly recorded her and saved videos from her social media accounts.
Stark County Sheriff Sergeant Craig Kennedy described the findings by saying, “It became clear to me that he was completely obsessed with Morgan Fox.”
Investigators believed that McDermitt killed Fox after she cut off contact with him.
Other evidence also drew attention during the investigation. Authorities learned that McDermitt had taken his vehicle through a car wash twice after the murder, even though it had reportedly rained that day.
He also had access to a firearm of the same caliber as the weapon used in the killing, although investigators were never able to definitively establish that it was the murder weapon.
Traffic camera footage provided another important lead. According to The Repository, a blue Ford Focus consistent with McDermitt’s vehicle was recorded near Fox’s home shortly before and after the shooting.
McDermitt was arrested on November 4, 2020, and charged with aggravated murder, according to the sheriff’s office.
Photo: NBCUniversal
Morgan Fox’s Family Delivers Powerful Victim Impact Statements
In April 2021, a jury found McDermitt guilty of aggravated murder and menacing by stalking. He was sentenced to life in prison.
During the sentencing proceedings, Fox’s young daughter, Emilia, delivered an emotional victim impact statement.
“I thought monsters weren’t real, but you proved me wrong,” the eight-year-old said, according to Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins.
“You hurt so many people. You hurt me and the people I love. You ruined your own life because of how much of a bad person you are.”
Fox’s father, Robert Fox, also addressed McDermitt and described the devastating impact of losing his daughter.
“You’ve taken so much from so many people, and for that I want to see you struggle the rest of your life in prison. You can rot in hell the rest of your life,” he said, according to The Repository.
Jason McDermitt Proclaims His Innocence
Although McDermitt did not testify during his trial, he later spoke to Dateline from behind bars and continued to maintain his innocence.
During an interview, correspondent Josh Mankiewicz directly asked him, “Did you kill Morgan Fox?”
McDermitt responded, “I did not.”
He also denied being obsessed with Fox and claimed that he had been at home when the murder occurred.
Although he acknowledged that the two had gone a couple of weeks without speaking, he told Dateline that they had resumed communicating and were working on repairing their friendship before her death, according to The Repository.
Photo: Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction
Where Is Jason McDermitt Now?
McDermitt is currently serving his life sentence at Noble Correctional Institution in Caldwell, Ohio, according to incarceration records reviewed by Oxygen.
His conviction means he will remain behind bars under the sentence imposed following his 2021 trial.
FedEx Settled Lawsuit With Morgan Fox’s Family
Following Fox’s murder, her family filed a lawsuit against FedEx, raising concerns about how the company had handled reports of workplace harassment involving her coworkers.
According to The Repository, FedEx Ground eventually agreed to pay the family $4 million. The settlement included $2 million designated for a trust benefiting Fox’s daughter, Emilia.
The estate’s attorneys explained that the financial arrangement was intended to help provide the young girl with opportunities her mother would have wanted for her.
“Through detailed financial planning, the settlement will allow (Fox’s daughter) to enjoy many things in life that her mother would have wanted for her,” the attorneys wrote.
They mentioned continuing golf lessons, attending an exceptional college, and eventually having a beautiful wedding among the opportunities the settlement could help provide.
FedEx Ground Senior Communications Specialist Allie Addoms also addressed the matter in a statement to the outlet.
She said the company continued to mourn the loss of its team member, Morgan Fox, and that its thoughts remained with her family. She also confirmed that FedEx had reached a settlement with the family.
Although Fox’s life was tragically cut short, her family continues to remember her as a loving mother, daughter, and friend. Her story also raised difficult questions about workplace harassment, employee safety, and whether earlier intervention could have made a difference.
