On a summer afternoon in Germantown, Maryland, the life of 34-year-old Shakina Marie Perkins-Moody came to a tragic and violent end. It was August 4, 2015, at a gas station at the intersection of Route 118 and 355, where she was in a car with her 16-year-old daughter and her partner, 42-year-old Johnnie Perkins. The teenager went inside the station's store to pay for their gas, leaving Perkins-Moody and Perkins alone in the vehicle.
While her daughter was inside, an argument broke out
between the couple. The dispute escalated with horrifying speed, culminating in Perkins fatally shooting Perkins-Moody. An off-duty Montgomery County police officer who was parked nearby heard the gunshot and began to approach the vehicle. As the officer neared, Perkins turned the gun on himself, ending his own life. First responders arrived to a grim scene, finding Perkins deceased and Perkins-Moody gravely wounded. She was rushed to a local trauma center but ultimately succumbed to her injuries. A handgun was recovered from the vehicle.
The investigation that followed revealed the incident to be a domestic-related murder-suicide. Detectives learned that Johnnie Perkins had a long and significant criminal history, with numerous arrests for offenses involving drugs and firearms. In fact, he had been arrested as recently as July 12 of that same year for driving under the influence, as well as handgun and drug possession, but was out on bail at the time he killed Perkins-Moody. His extensive criminal record and the fact that he was not incarcerated at the time of the murder-suicide raised concerns among law enforcement officials about the handling of repeat offenders within the justice system. As the perpetrator died at the scene, the case was concluded with no further arrests or legal proceedings.
