In the early evening of Tuesday, February 16, 2021, the life of 32-year-old Lamar Lee Johnson of New Castle, Pennsylvania, was tragically cut short. Union Township Police were called to a residence on Grandview Avenue shortly after 5 p.m., where they discovered Johnson outside, suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Johnson, known to his loved ones as 'Mar Meech,' was a 2007 graduate of New Castle High School where he had been a standout football player. He had gone on to earn an associate's degree from the New Castle School of Trades and a bachelor's degree in business from Penn State's Shenango campus.
The investigation into the male's death was quickly turned over to the Pennsylvania State Police. Their investigation led them to identify 25-year-old Markeace Devant Perkins, also of New Castle, as the alleged shooter. The Lawrence County District Attorney's Office subsequently approved an arrest warrant for Perkins.
Perkins faced serious charges, including criminal homicide, persons not to possess firearms, and prohibited offensive weapons. Authorities also indicated that Perkins had left the scene of the shooting with a woman named Khyana Johnson, also of New Castle. While no charges were filed against her at the time, police stated that she was wanted for questioning in connection with the incident. The search for both Perkins and Khyana Johnson was initiated immediately following the events of that fatal evening.
