Michelle Johnson

Michelle Johnson, a 50-year-old White woman from Fresno, California, was described by her family as a person who loved with every ounce of her being. Her mother, Glynna Fenske, said Michelle had a big heart and made it her purpose to help people in need, seeing value in everyone. In the spring of 2021, Johnson was eagerly preparing for her most anticipated role: becoming a grandmother. Her daughter was pregnant and due to give birth any day.

On the night of April 9, 2021, Johnson went to an apartment complex on the 3200 block of East Olive Avenue to help her 21-year-old former foster daughter, Charlotte Ethridge. A disturbance had been heard at Ethridge's home involving her boyfriend, Deandre Foster. Around 11:30 p.m., police responded to a call of shots fired. They discovered Ethridge, a mother of two, shot to death inside her apartment. In the complex courtyard, officers found Johnson with a gunshot wound. She was rushed to Community Regional Medical Center, where she died from her injuries.

Investigators identified Foster, then 24 years old, as the suspect in both killings and said domestic violence was the motive. Two days later, members of a Fresno police tactical team located and arrested Foster. He was booked into the Fresno County Jail on two counts of murder. Authorities noted that Foster had an extensive criminal history, including prior strike convictions for robbery, and had been released from prison just months before the murders.

The legal proceedings moved slowly, in part because it was a potential death penalty case, which complicated the process of appointing a defense attorney for Foster. Johnson's family expressed frustration with the delays but remained determined to see justice served. During an early court appearance, Johnson’s sister, Tracy Spraetz, told the judge, "I need you to know her life mattered, that she was loved by many people and although no one here can bring her back, it's important that we rely on you and the court system to find justice for our family."

In 2024, a jury convicted Deandre Foster of the murders of both Michelle Johnson and Charlotte Ethridge. On March 14, 2025, a judge sentenced Foster to 200 years to life in prison.

Johnson’s legacy of kindness continues to be honored by her family. In her memory, they started a pajama donation drive for the Marjaree Mason Center, a local domestic violence shelter, to provide comfort to women and children fleeing abuse. Johnson's face has also been added to a mural in downtown Fresno that commemorates victims of gun violence.