State v. Deon Lennard Johnson, C-08-CR-19-000855
LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, April 28, 2022, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Donine Carrington Martin sentenced Deon Lennard Johnson, 26, of La Plata, to 40 years in prison for Attempted Second-Degree Murder, two counts of First-Degree Assault, Fourth-Degree Burglary, and Failure to Comply with Peace Order. In addition to the 40 years in prison, Johnson received 15 years of suspended time and will be on supervised probation for five years.
On October 2, 2019, officers responded to the 2700 block of Port Tobacco Road in Nanjemoy for the report of a home invasion. As one officer was pulling into the driveway of the residence, he observed a suspect, later determined to be Johnson, running away from one of the victims. Victim 1 was suffering from stab wounds to her head and shoulder. She reported to the officer that her mother was inside of the residence. When officers entered the residence, they discovered her mother, Victim 2, suffering from a stab wound to her neck. Both victims were flown to the Prince George’s County Hospital Center for treatment. Fortunately, they both survived the assault.
An investigation revealed that Johnson had a romantic relationship with Victim 1 that ended prior to the day of the incident. Victim 2 obtained a peace order as a result of Johnson’s unpredictable behavior and repeated trips to their residence uninvited. On the day of the incident, Johnson forced entry into the victims’ residence through prying a window open with a prybar. Johnson began stabbing Victim 2 repeatedly with a knife. Victim 1 ran out of the residence to seek assistance from a neighbor; however, she was followed by Johnson. Johnson tried to force her to leave with him multiple times, but she refused. He then stabbed her repeatedly after hearing sirens in the distance. Upon police arrival, Johnson was observed standing over Victim 1, who ran to the police. Johnson fled into the woods. He left his cell phone, prybar, and bookbag on the property.
Victim 1 suffered over 20 stab wounds. Victim 2 suffered over 10 stab wounds.
At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Jonathan Beattie asked the judge for a 50-year sentence, stating that “this is one of the most heinous and horrific cases that I’ve seen – what more could the victims have done? The defendant was becoming more violent, the relationship with [Victim 1] had soured to the point where [Victim 2] had to get a peace order for protection. She did what we would ask any citizen to do. It did not prevent the defendant from harming her. The defendant was told not to go there and that was not enough. No probation or statement is going to prevent this defendant from doing it again. Prevent him from harming not only the victims, but anyone he gets in a relationship with.” He also stated that “the reason why this is not a double homicide has nothing to do with the defendant, it’s only because of [Victim 2],” who was able to call the police.
Before sentencing Johnson to 40 years in prison, Judge Martin stated, “You are someone who the victims took into their home on numerous occasions and considered family. No one thought you would do what you did, but actions speak, and we’ve got to pay for our actions – if there was ever a case that screamed out for a departure above guidelines, it is this case.”
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