In the afternoon hours of July 18, 2024, a grim discovery was made in the drive-thru of a Walgreens on the south side of Oklahoma City. A 53-year-old woman, Sabrina Johnson, was found inside a vehicle, having been fatally shot. The incident occurred at a busy intersection, SE 44th Street and Shields Boulevard, prompting police to appeal to the public for any witnesses who might have been in the area.
Initially, the circumstances leading up to the shooting were unknown, and no immediate arrests were made, leaving the case as an open and active homicide investigation. Sabrina LeeAnn Johnson, born on November 24, 1970, was a mother and grandmother who was remembered for her bold, kind, and brave nature. She was described as a force to be reckoned with when her protective side emerged and someone who always stood up for what she believed in.
The investigation into Sabrina Johnson's death continued for weeks with law enforcement seeking information from the public. A significant breakthrough came when homicide detectives obtained surveillance footage from businesses near the crime scene. This footage proved to be crucial in identifying a potential suspect. The investigation took a decisive turn on September 6, 2024, when an officer responded to a disturbance at a local medical center. There, the officer encountered a woman named Darlene Sue Thomas, who matched the description of the individual seen in the surveillance video from the day of the homicide.
Upon her arrest for outstanding warrants, officers discovered that Darlene Sue Thomas was in possession of a handgun and methamphetamine. Subsequent forensic analysis of the firearm, a Taurus GX4 9MM handgun, revealed that it matched the weapon used in Sabrina Johnson's murder. Following this critical piece of evidence, Darlene Thomas was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Johnson's death, among other offenses. The arrest brought a sense of progress in a case that had initially left the community seeking answers.
