On an autumn evening in 2014, the life of 36-year-old Hollis Bradford Johnson was tragically cut short in a senseless act of violence that continues to baffle his loved ones and investigators. The male victim was returning to his apartment in Chillum, Maryland, on October 27th after watching a Monday Night Football game at a bar in Washington D.C. As he approached the entrance to his building on Chillum Road, he held the door for a man, an act of courtesy caught on surveillance footage that
would prove to be his last. Moments later, at approximately 11:20 p.m., Johnson was shot in the hallway.
A friend who was on the phone with him at the time heard a rustling sound before the line went dead. Neighbors who heard the gunshot and Johnson's cries for help immediately called 911. Paramedics arrived to find him suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. The assailant was seen on video fleeing the scene in a light-colored, four-door sedan with tinted windows and halogen headlights.
In the wake of the shooting, family and friends were left reeling, describing Johnson, affectionately known as “Hollywood,” as a kind and well-liked man with a wide circle of friends who had no known enemies. He was known for his love of basketball and his friendly, peacemaking nature. Over a thousand people attended his funeral, a testament to the many lives he had touched. Nothing was stolen from him during the attack, deepening the mystery surrounding the motive for his murder.
Prince George’s County Police launched an investigation into the homicide, releasing the surveillance footage of the man Johnson had held the door for, believing him to be the primary suspect. Despite the video evidence and a substantial reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment, the case has remained unsolved. A year after his death, friends and family gathered for a candlelight vigil, still searching for answers and closure. As of now, no arrests have been made, and the identity of the person responsible for Hollis Bradford Johnson’s death remains unknown, leaving a void in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.
