Antoine Johnson Jr., a 31-year-old Black man from Baltimore, was remembered by those who loved him as witty, funny, kind, and resilient. His family and friends, who knew him by the nicknames "Twon" and "Twizzy," said he was loved by all he came in contact with.
In the early moments of January 4, 2024, a citizen alerted a patrolling police officer to a shooting on the unit block of North Eutaw Street. At approximately 12:09 a.m., officers arrived and found Antoine Johnson Jr.
suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital but did not survive his injuries. Homicide investigators later determined that Johnson had been shot during an altercation. According to prosecutors, the confrontation happened while Johnson was making a bank withdrawal.
The investigation quickly led to a suspect. On January 22, 2024, Warrant Apprehension detectives, with the assistance of a U.S. Marshals Taskforce, arrested 24-year-old Tanare Williams of Capital Heights, Maryland. Williams was transported to the Central Booking Intake Facility and charged with first-degree murder.
On October 9, 2024, as his bench trial was scheduled to begin, Williams, then 25, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and use of a firearm in a felony violent crime. His attorney argued that Williams acted in self-defense, alleging that Johnson had a weapon and was attempting to rob him. During the hearing, Johnson’s mother spoke in court about her family’s struggles since losing her son, calling the defendant a coward for accepting a plea deal.
Following his plea, Williams was sentenced to an active prison term of 15 years. Upon his release, he will serve five years of probation and must register as a gun offender. The case was closed as of October 2024.
