Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for role in fatal 2023 Jack in the Box shooting

A judge sentenced a 44-year-old man to 15 years in prison this week for killing a man outside a Spokane Valley Jack in the Box in 2023, court records show.

Jason Barton originally was charged with first-degree murder for killing Dennis Vezina, 41, in September of last year, but instead pleaded to second-degree murder, court documents say.

Vezina and his girlfriend, Stephanie Unangst, were sitting in the northwest corner of the fast food chain’s parking lot off North Argonne Road at about 3:20 p.m. when she heard a gunshot and saw a man she knew as “Jason” leave the area on a bicycle, she told police.

When she turned around, she couldn’t find her boyfriend, according to court documents.

Vezina walked into the Jack in the Box lobby with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was pronounced dead there at 4:01 p.m.

Deputies found a Jason Barton who lived near the restaurant and were able to match his description to video surveillance.

Detectives obtained Barton’s phone records and found text messages between him and Kenneth Griffey, another man charged in Vezina’s killing.

According to court documents, Griffey told Barton to “be careful” before riding his bike to the Jack in the Box.

After the shooting, Griffey drove to Barton’s house to collect a backpack with a firearm in it, the documents said.

After leaving Barton’s home, Griffey allegedly texted him, “Whaambulance inbound.”

Detectives spoke to Griffey the following day, and he told police he did not know about the shooting, according to court documents.

Griffey is still in jail and awaiting trial.