Despite revelations that a Butler man allegedly received pictures of a 26-year-old woman's dead body from the accused killer — and then provided police with a false alibi for the crime — a Butler County judge ordered the man released from jail on Friday.

Justin M. Johnson, 20, was ordered released from the Butler County Prison by Judge Timothy McCune following a bond modification hearing.

Johnson had been held in Butler County Prison on $100,000 bail since his arrest on June 21.

He is charged with felony hindering apprehension and misdemeanor false reports to law enforcement authorities in connection with the June 8 shooting death of Melissa Barto.

Pennsylvania State Police say he supplied an alibi for the alleged shooter, Ishemer Ramsey, 21, of Lyndora, that later turned out to be false.

Assistant District Attorney Terri Schultz opposed the modification, revealing to the court that evidence against Johnson includes text messages and pictures from Ramsey, including an image of Barto's dead body.

“He knew where Mr. Ramsey was,” she said. “He went to police and provided an alibi which he knew was false. He knows the difference between right and wrong and chose to make the wrong decision.”

Schultz said the prosecution is also currently deciding whether to file additional charges against Johnson. Following the proceeding, Schultz said that “as the investigation started to unfold, we learned that Mr. Johnson was a little more complicit in the crime than first let on.”

The District Attorney's Office has yet to decide whether to file that amendment, Schultz said.

McCune's order stated that Johnson would be released to pretrial supervision pending an interview by the Adult Probation Office at the Butler County Prison and the execution of a supervision plan. No timeline was set for when that interview or plan were to occur.

The Pretrial Supervision Program is intended to alleviate overcrowding in the county jail by allowing qualified defendants to remain free on bail pending resolution of charges, according to the county's website.

Conditions of the program include referrals to appropriate services, such as drug and alcohol, mental health or batterers treatment; monitoring of compliance with treatment; and reporting as directed to the pretrial release office to ensure compliance.

Johnson's attorney, Patrick Casey, told the court Friday that his client has no prior criminal history.

“He has never been in trouble in his life until literally the unfortunate circumstances he now finds himself in before you,” Casey said.

Johnson was a full-time student and varsity football athlete at Thiel College at the time, and has substantial ties to the Butler community, as his mother, who was present for the hearing, and other family members live in the area, Casey said.

The motion also stated that Johnson seeks to take classes at Butler County Community College pending the resolution of the charges.

McCune granted the request based on the fact that if convicted, due to having no prior record, the sentencing guidelines for the crime call for probation. Schultz said that due to the seriousness of the case, the prosecution would ask for a period of jail time at the time of sentencing.

McCune also stated that if additional charges are added, bond conditions would be reviewed at that time.

Johnson is awaiting judicial conference on Oct. 18, jury selection on Nov. 9, and his trial scheduled for Nov. 13.

Following the proceeding, Casey said Johnson's family are relieved that he will be released. He declined to comment further, saying it was “still very early on” in the case.

Johnson was charged after he allegedly told police that he was with Ramsey and Barto on the day of her death and that he saw her get into a Subaru car with a female driver, according to a criminal complaint. Police say Johnson was intentionally trying to disrupt the investigation with his statements.

Ramsey has been charged with criminal homicide, felony conspiracy to criminal homicide, hindering apprehension, misdemeanor abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy charges to both, after police say he fatally shot Barto three times in the head during an argument in his car.

Ramsey apparently suspected Barto was cheating on him, police said.

Two other men, Joshua W. Bowser, 22, of Lyndora, and James E. Howard-George, 24, of Butler, were also charged in the case — Bowser with felony hindering apprehension and misdemeanor conspiracy counts to abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence after allegedly allowing Ramsey to use his vehicle to transport Barto's body, and Howard-George with felony conspiracy to criminal homicide, misdemeanor abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence, after allegedly helping Ramsey dispose of Barto's remains.

Barto was reported missing on June 8 after failing to show up at her 6-year-old daughter's kindergarten graduation. Her partially burned body was found on June 12 by a farmer in a field in Lawrence County.

Ramsey was wanted for questioning in her disappearance when he was pulled over on June 10 by Butler Township Police.His vehicle was found to be missing the passenger seat, and the “overwhelming odor” of bleach was smelled coming from the interior, police said.

He was also found armed with a 1911-style handgun, police said.

Ramsey and Howard-George continue to be held in Butler County Prison after bail was denied, and Bowser continues to be held on $100,000 bail.