In the spring of 2016, Myneishia Johnson, an 18-year-old female, was on the cusp of a bright future. A student at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Tennessee, she was just days away from graduation. A determined young woman, Johnson was a mother to a one-year-old son named Kylan and dreamed of attending Southwest Community College to become a nurse.
To provide a better life for her son, she balanced academics, sports, and a part-time job, living independently and always checking in with her parents.
Tragically, her life was cut short in the early morning hours of Sunday, May 22, 2016. While celebrating her upcoming graduation downtown on Second Street near Peabody, Johnson was shot and killed. The senseless act of violence also resulted in injuries to two men. The community was left in shock and mourning over the loss of a young life filled with such promise. Her family, devastated by the loss, decided she would be buried in her cap and gown, a symbol of the milestone she had worked so hard to achieve. In a poignant moment during the Booker T. Washington graduation ceremony, her young son accepted her diploma on her behalf.
The investigation into Johnson's death quickly led to a suspect. Police arrested 19-year-old Kwasi Corbin after a short car chase. Corbin was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and employment of a firearm in a dangerous felony. It was revealed that Corbin had a violent past and a history of being involved with the wrong crowd. Law enforcement officials described him as a 'loose cannon,' and he had been known to display gang signs and weapons in videos posted on social media. Despite outstanding warrants for previous offenses, authorities had been unable to locate him as he had moved from his last known address.
In April 2019, Kwasi Corbin's trial for the murder of Myneishia Johnson commenced. After the presentation of evidence and testimony, a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. For the killing of the young mother, Corbin was sentenced to life in prison, bringing a measure of justice to a case that had deeply affected the Memphis community.
