Carlos Johnson, a 20-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on July 8, 2017, in Mount Vernon, Illinois. He was born on October 1, 1996, in Mount Vernon, Illinois, to parents Carlos Tashon Foulks and LA Shalone’ Johnson. Carlos was pronounced dead at 6:07 P.M. at SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon, Illinois, after suffering a gunshot wound.
The incident occurred on the 700 block of South 25th Street in Mount Vernon. Officers were called to the scene around 4:35 P.M. following reports of gunshots. Shortly after, the local hospital contacted the police department about a man in the emergency room with gunshot wounds. Despite medical efforts, Carlos Johnson succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Roderick Shondale Oats Jr., an 18-year-old male from Mount Vernon, was identified as the primary suspect in the shooting. He was arrested later that night in Benton, Illinois. Oats was formally charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with Carlos Johnson's death. The investigation revealed that Oats had been involved in the shooting, and several witnesses provided crucial information leading to his arrest.
In November 2018, Roderick Shondale Oats Jr. was sentenced to 65 years in prison for the first-degree murder of Carlos Johnson. The Jefferson County jury found Oats guilty in August 2018. He was sentenced to 40 years on the three first-degree murder charges, with an additional 25-year enhancement for committing a crime with a firearm. Oats will have to serve 100 percent of the 65-year sentence.
The case brought some measure of closure to Carlos Johnson's family, who expressed their gratitude for the jury's service and the verdict. Jefferson County State’s Attorney Sean Featherstun acknowledged the efforts of Detective Justin Haney and the Mount Vernon Police Department in solving the case.
