Naman Shrestha
When two teenagers, Royal Abram and Matrell Johnson, were found dead in the parking lot of a smoke shop in May 2019, the entire community was rocked to its core. With the help of security footage, the authorities managed to get to the bottom of the case and apprehend the perpetrator/s responsible. The episode titled ‘Smoke Shop Fugitive’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘See No Evil’ chronicles the case in a detailed manner with the help of in-depth and exclusive interviews with the loved ones of the deceased teens and the officials linked to the investigation.
Royal Abram Was a Doting Son and an Integral Member of the Community
Royal Ceiz Abram was welcomed into the world by Christopher Abram and Ethel Brown on March 27, 2001. While growing up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he attended McKinley Middle School and proceeded to enroll at Washington High School. However, according to reports, he had to be transferred to Metro High School. While there was no shortage of love at home, where he was engulfed in the warmth and care his parents showered on him, Royal’s mother revealed his time in high school was marred by multiple challenges. As per Ethel Brown, “He spent all of his junior high school years crying about not having friends. He went to school every day and was bullied, he was beat up, and he was chased home because he wasn’t like everybody else.”
Despite the reported personal hardships at school, his parent continued to provide him with unwavering support and a nurturing environment at home. Those who knew the 18-year-old described him as a genuinely kindhearted and affectionate individual who just put up a tough demeanor to shield his vulnerability from the world. Royal was quite passionate about music and showcased his skills as part of the children’s choir at the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. He was a devout Christian and proud of his historical roots. He had once been a member of the Crown Point Boxing Club.
Throughout his time serving as the counselor-in-training at Wildwood Hills Ranch, he received guidance from Al Lorenzen, who helped him refine his leadership, mentoring, and supervising abilities. Royal had high hopes for the future and never hesitated to contribute to the community in any way he could. In order to ensure the people of Waterloo have continuous access to fresh fruits and vegetables, he launched the Peace Zone Project along with his father. Through the initiative, the father-son duo kept the community members content and healthy. In a way, he became the big brother to many youngins in the area who looked up to him as a role model and were inspired by his generous and compassionate attitude.
Royal Abram and Matrell Johnson Were Found Dead in a Car Outside a Smoke Shop
Matrell Michael Eu’Gene Johnson was born on June 11, 2000, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Michael Gene Hodges Sr. and Angela Denise Johnson. Growing up in a loving household, he was accompanied by several siblings — Malique Johnson, Charleigh, Kemma Ratcliff, Kierra Thomas, Michael Jr., Malon Hodges, Jurnee Rose-Johnson, and Malaisha Hodges. With his goofy sense of humor, Matrell had the ability to light up even the dullest of rooms. In January 2019, he graduated from Metro High School. Besides academics, he was also passionate about playing basketball, Xbox, and spending quality time with his loved ones, including Royal Abram.
Both Royal and Matrell had a bright future ahead of them and a lot to look forward to. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for them. In the early hours of May 18, 2019, they were sitting inside a vehicle in the parking lot of the Iowa Smoke Shop at 70 Kirkwood Court Southwest in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with two other friends. Around 1:20 am, a mysterious individual walked up to them and fired multiple shots at all four teenagers inside the car. When the police arrived at the crime scene, Royal Abram and Matrell Johnson were declared dead on site, while the other two teens were severely injured and taken to a local hospital. Upon inspecting the remains, the authorities learned that they had died of gunshot wounds.
Royal Abram and Matrell Johnson’s Shooter Allegedly Had an Accomplice
During the investigation, the detectives talked to various family members and friends of both Royal Abram and Matrell Johnson, hoping to get leads that could point them in the direction of possible suspects. One of Matrell’s relatives, Ida Johnson, claimed that on May 17, 2019, Matrell had attended the funeral of Tyrice D. “Reese” Douglas, who had passed away on May 6 due to the injuries that he sustained in a December 2018 shooting. The relative further claimed that later that night, he had gone to a party with Royal Abram and a few other friends. Within a few days of the murder, the authorities had shortlisted multiple possible suspects, including a 26-year-old man named Andre Defaunte Richardson.
Upon going through the surveillance footage from the smoke shop, the police spotted the shooter getting out of a vehicle and shooting the teenagers with a handgun before fleeing the crime scene in the same vehicle. It turned out that the shooter was Andre, who was inside the car driven by 24-year-old Alexandra Lanee Nicole Smith. As per reports, Alexandra had authorized Andre to use her credit card in Cedar Rapids and Urbandale to buy some gas for the car after the murder. The police learned that she also drove the shooter to Raytown, Missouri, where she helped him purchase new clothes and a mobile phone. When the detectives pulled up his rap sheet, he had previous convictions for assault, theft, interference with official acts, possession of a weapon, eluding law enforcement, and forgery.
Two weeks into the investigation, the authorities issued an arrest warrant for Andre, who was considered an armed and dangerous suspect in connection with the double homicide. His alleged accomplice, Alexandra Lanee Nicole Smith, was also considered a person of interest. Finally, several weeks later, in June 2019, Andre Richardson was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and other serious charges. At the time of his arrest, he was also in possession of the new mobile phone that Alexandra had helped him purchase.
Andre Richardson is Currently Incarcerated at an Iowa Prison Facility
About a year after his arrest, in June 2020, Andre Richardson pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and six other counts, in connection with the gruesome killing of two 18-year-olds, Royal Abram and Matrell Johnson. More than three months later, his sentencing hearing took place on September 30. Royal’s mother, Ethel Brown, took the stand and addressed the convict, saying, “Today I want to say, Andre, I have no hatred towards you. You’re a man that made a decision. It was a rash decision and I wish you would have thought about your own children before you pulled that trigger…I speak these words in this court so the court will know: His name was Royal Abrams. He was my only child, and he didn’t deserve to die the way he did.”
Meanwhile, Matrell’s father, Michael Hodges Sr., also stated, “This is a learning experience for both my family and his family. He has kids –I have more kids, too. But being behind bars is where he needs to be.” Andre also took the stand to offer an apology to the family and friends of both the deceased teenagers. Defending himself, he stated, “I saw a vehicle from the Facebook picture pull into the parking lot. I saw the vehicle pull in, hesitate, then quickly pull into the parking spot next to ours. I should have told the driver to drive away because I thought there’d be a shooting. Instead, I grabbed a gun I knew was in the car, got out, and started shooting. I did not know for sure who was in the other vehicle, I just recognized it from the picture.”
In the end, Andre Richardson was sentenced to a total of 75 years in prison (50 years for two counts of second-degree murder, 25 years for two counts of attempt to commit murder, 20 years for two counts of willful injury, ten years for intimidation with a dangerous weapon, and five years for possession of a firearm as a felon). Moreover, the judge also ordered the killer to pay $150,000 in victim restitution to the families of both his victims. As of today, he is serving his sentence at Anamosa State Penitentiary in Anamosa, Iowa, with his tentative discharge date scheduled for October 2073.
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