In the early evening of October 8, 2017, a burst of gunfire shattered the relative calm of a Midtown Memphis car wash, leaving a family to grapple with a loss that remains unresolved. Deandre Johnson, a 28-year-old African-American man, was fatally shot in what police believe was a targeted attack. Remembered by friends and family as a cool, laid-back, and funny individual, Johnson's sudden death sent ripples of grief through his community.
The Memphis Police Department responded to the
scene at the 1500 block of Poplar Avenue around 6:30 p.m. and found Johnson suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Investigators quickly began piecing together the events of that evening, and their attention soon turned to a white SUV, possibly a 2006 GMC Yukon or Chevrolet Suburban, that was seen leaving the car wash heading southbound on Avalon Street.
A few days after the shooting, authorities announced they were seeking a person of interest for questioning. They identified Aaron Heard as the owner of a white 2001 GMC Yukon that was captured in surveillance footage from the scene. At the time, police stated that Heard had five active warrants for various misdemeanor charges. Despite this public identification of a person of interest and the recovery of surveillance footage, the investigation into Deandre Johnson's murder appears to have stalled.
As years have passed, Johnson's case has become one of the many unsolved homicides that linger in the city of Memphis. Online memorials and forums show that his friends and family continue to mourn his loss and hope for a break in the case that will finally bring them answers and a measure of justice. The search for who pulled the trigger and why continues, leaving a painful void for those who knew and loved Deandre Johnson.
