Saadyar Johnson

Saadyar Roice Johnson, a 36-year-old Black man known to his loved ones as “Sy,” is remembered as a good father whose children were his world. His life was tragically cut short in a violent act that would remain unsolved for a decade.

On the evening of May 3, 2016, in Tampa, Florida, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was flooded with 911 calls reporting gunfire at the Del Rio Apartments on North 50th Street. A ShotSpotter alert also registered the gunshots. When deputies arrived, they found Saadyar Johnson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment but tragically succumbed to his injuries. The medical examiner later officially ruled his death a homicide.

From the beginning, investigators with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office believed Johnson was the specific target of an armed robbery. Early leads in the initial 2016 investigation pointed toward a man named Marqui Newton as a possible suspect. However, despite their suspicions, detectives lacked sufficient evidence to formally charge him, and the case eventually went cold. For ten years, Johnson's family and community were left without answers or justice.

The case was not forgotten, however. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit persistently pursued the investigation over the next decade. Detectives continued to follow leads and took advantage of significant advancements in forensic technology. A major breakthrough occurred in 2025 when investigators successfully located previously unknown witnesses. They also re-interviewed individuals who had been spoken to during the initial investigation. This fresh testimony, combined with new DNA testing conducted with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, provided the evidence needed to move forward.

On May 20, 2026, after years of dedicated work, detectives secured an arrest warrant for Marqui Newton, then 34. He was charged with first-degree felony murder and robbery with a firearm in connection with Saadyar Johnson's death. The following day, May 21, 2026, Newton was taken into custody in Brevard County, Florida, in a collaborative effort by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Following the arrest, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister acknowledged the long road to this development. “This arrest is the result of years of relentless investigative work and the unwavering commitment of our Cold Case Unit and law enforcement partners,” he stated. “No matter how much time passes, we will never stop seeking justice for victims and their families. We hope this arrest brings some measure of closure to those who have waited nearly a decade for answers.”

A memorial service for Saadyar Johnson was held on May 14, 2016, at the Abundant Life Enrichment Center in Tampa, where family and friends gathered to mourn their loss. In the years that followed, a GoFundMe campaign was created to support his five fatherless children.

As of May 2026, the case against Marqui Newton is active and moving forward through the court system. After his arrest, Newton was awaiting transport from Brevard County back to Hillsborough County to face the charges for the decade-old murder.