Suvechha Sarkar
The episode titled ‘Deadly Premonition’ of A&E’s ‘The First 48’ offers a closer look at the real-time investigative process surrounding the tragic homicide of 25-year-old Shakeitha Johnson in July 2015. The beloved sister and daughter was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds inside her home in New Orleans, Louisiana. As detectives pieced together the events leading up to her untimely death and gathered evidence, they eventually identified a suspect. The episode further features interviews with the detectives who worked on the case and glimpses of Shakeitha’s loved ones.
Shakeitha Johnson Was Found Dead Inside Her Home by Her Friend
On July 23, 1990, Fred King and Renee Johnson were overjoyed to welcome their daughter, Shakeitha Johnson, into the world. Born and raised in a loving household in New Orleans, Louisiana, she was affectionately known as Banana. From a young age, she formed a strong bond with her two sisters, including Sharie Johnson. Besides that, Shakeitha was known as a kind person who had made several friends throughout her life. It is worth noting that public reports provide no information about her academic and professional background. By 2015, Shakeitha had been residing in the 1600 block of Gentilly Boulevard in New Orleans.
According to reports, on July 23, 2015, several people gathered outside Shakeitha’s home for a barbecue to celebrate her birthday. However, little did she expect that her beautiful life would come to a sudden end the following day. On July 24, one of her friends arrived at her house, where the friend found the 25-year-old lying unresponsive in a pool of blood on the living room floor. The friend immediately called 911, reporting that Shakeitha was not breathing. Upon their arrival, officials found that she had suffered several gunshot wounds, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Forensic experts observed that the living room was filled with a significant amount of blood. They also noted shoe prints on it that matched the slippers Shakeitha was wearing, indicating she had tried to escape. Detectives found that there were no signs of forced entry in the house and recovered three .40-caliber shell casings inside. Additionally, they discovered three more casings leading into the front yard. The autopsy report revealed that she was shot multiple times, including in the head, right arm, and shoulder, and had passed away several hours before her remains were found. Shakeitha’s cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds.
A Similar Crime in the Area Helped Officials Identify a Suspect in the Homicide
At the scene, officials initially noticed a damaged vehicle standing outside Shakeitha’s house. According to a detective on the show, one of the individuals at the scene told them the car belonged to the 25-year-old’s best friend. In their statements, the person further claimed that Shakeitha had mistakenly wrecked the automobile. As per the show, the person alleged that when Shakeitha told the friend that she would be unable to pay for the damages, she received death threats. When officials finally questioned the best friend, they denied any involvement in the crime. Since there was no evidence against them, investigators quickly ruled them out as a person of interest.
Reports state that when investigators spoke with Shakeitha’s neighbors, they learned that no sounds of gunshots were heard around the estimated time of the murder. By August 2015, law enforcement sought the public’s assistance in finding a woman named Jamie Bailey. They declared that she might have significant information about Shakeitha’s death, but emphasized that Jamie was not a suspect. It is worth noting that publicly available reports did not indicate whether Jamie was eventually located or interviewed. According to investigative reports, the authorities also explored tips suggesting a man named Delvin “Boom” Wilson might have feared Shakeitha possessed information regarding a separate, prior shooting in the area. However, that theory was not substantiated with any evidence.
As detectives dug deeper, they discovered that Delvin was wanted in connection with the homicide of 39-year-old Lenard Reese, who also died from gunshot wounds. Moreover, Lenard’s 2-year-old nephew was shot in that case, but fortunately survived. However, Delvin was never convicted in the case. According to the show, when authorities compared the casings found at the scene of Lenard’s shooting and Shakeitha’s home, it turned out to be a match. They further learned that Delvin had prior convictions on drug charges and illegal weapons possession. Ultimately, he became a suspect in the murder of the 25-year-old. Delvin was later linked to a house in Atlanta, Georgia, and the officials prepared to obtain a warrant against him.
Delvin Wilson Was Found Dead Inside a Burning Car in Georgia
On the show, as authorities worked on getting a warrant for Delvin Wilson, they had called him. During the call, they claimed he had been to Shakeitha’s home before, but he insisted he didn’t know the 25-year-old and was not involved in the crime. The search for him continued for the officials, since they wanted to question him. Reports state that on September 13, 2015, Delvin and his brother, Willis “Butch” Turner, were identified as suspects in a violent robbery that occurred in a market in Macon County, Georgia.
Yet it is essential to note that Delvin and Willis were never arrested or convicted on the robbery charges. Things changed on September 20, 2015, when the remains of Delvin and Willis were found in the back seat of a burning vehicle. According to investigative reports, they were both shot in Macon County, Georgia, before their remains were burned. At the time of his death, Delvin was 28 years old. Ultimately, his unexpected death led to the closing of Shakeitha’s case without any formal charges or conviction.
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