Darrin Estephen Johnson, a White/Caucasian male, 31, was found mortally wounded on the morning of August 25, 2025, in a quiet Roswell neighborhood near North Sherman Avenue and East 23rd Street. Just before 7 a.m., police were called after gunfire in the area; Johnson, gravely injured, knocked on a nearby door and was rushed to the hospital, where he died of his injuries. Local obituary notices later confirmed his identity and age as the community began to mourn.
Detectives quickly identified Johnson as the victim of a homicide and opened a search for the person responsible. Early reports noted an arrest warrant had been issued the day of the shooting, as investigators followed leads linked to the scene around North Sherman and 23rd. The case moved swiftly from a frantic morning response to a targeted manhunt, with officers canvassing the block, gathering witness accounts, and tracing Johnson's final steps after the gunfire erupted.
By that Friday afternoon, August 29, Roswell police arrested 42-year-old Steven Shane Boykin in the 80 block of East Wells Street in the “base” area of south Roswell. Officers took Boykin into custody without incident and booked him into the Chaves County Detention Center in connection with Johnson's killing. News updates in the days that followed continued to name Johnson as the victim and Boykin as the suspect, while the community and Johnson's family prepared memorials in his honor.
