In the brisk morning air of November 18, 2022, Ikeem Johnson, a 35-year-old sanitation worker for the city of Philadelphia, was going about his daily route in the Mayfair section of the city. As the garbage truck he was in paused at the corner of Rowland and Bleigh avenues, a man wearing a mask approached the passenger side where Johnson was seated. The man opened fire, unleashing a barrage of 28 bullets from two different caliber firearms.
Johnson was struck at least 15 times and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck was unharmed.
Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence, believing Johnson was the intended target. Surveillance footage captured a suspect vehicle, a dark-colored Subaru Outback, and police began the search for those responsible. A month after the shooting, authorities identified two suspects: Nushar Scott, 39, and Rasheem Trusty, 30, and issued warrants for their arrests. Police also stated they were searching for a third person who was driving the vehicle.
The investigation utilized DNA evidence and cell phone data to piece together the events of that fatal morning. Investigators found Scott's DNA on a fired cartridge casing at the scene, as well as on latex gloves he had discarded while fleeing. Cell site data tracked Scott's movements, showing him meeting with Trusty at a Northern Liberties apartment before and after the murder. It was determined that Trusty drove Scott to and from the location of the shooting.
In January 2023, Nushar Scott was taken into custody. Rasheem Trusty was arrested by U.S. Marshals in August of the same year. The two men stood trial for the murder of Ikeem Johnson. After just a few hours of deliberation, a jury found Nushar Scott guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and firearms violations. Rasheem Trusty was found guilty of third-degree murder and conspiracy. Scott was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, while Trusty awaited his sentencing scheduled for June.
