On the morning of January 19, 2017, a tragic act of violence occurred at a senior housing complex in South St. Louis, Missouri. Tiandra Johnson, a 32-year-old African American female who worked as the manager of the property, was inside the leasing office when she was confronted by a resident. The man, who used a wheelchair, had come to the office harboring a suspicion that Johnson had been stealing from him. During the encounter, he produced a firearm and fatally shot her.
The senseless killing left the community and Johnson’s family mourning the loss of a woman described as vibrant and loving.
The investigation quickly identified the shooter as 78-year-old Torrance Epps, a resident of the facility. Authorities arrested Epps and charged him in connection with Johnson's death. As investigators delved into his background, they discovered a disturbing criminal history. Epps was a convicted felon who had previously served time for a triple homicide committed in 1973, in which he killed three of his wife's relatives. He had been paroled after serving 14 years of a 30-year sentence, briefly escaped custody, and was eventually re-paroled in 2003 before moving into the senior complex where the 2017 shooting took place.
In October 2017, the legal proceedings against Epps concluded without a trial. He entered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of second-degree murder, as well as armed criminal action. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Epps was sentenced to 18 years in prison. The conviction ensured that the elderly assailant would return to the corrections system where he had already spent a significant portion of his life, providing a measure of justice for Tiandra Johnson and her loved ones.
