On the afternoon of June 20, 2023, violence erupted in the Kingsway East neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, claiming the life of a local resident. Police officers responded to a distress call just before 4:00 p.m. regarding a shooting in the 1900 block of Marcus Avenue, near Leduc Street. Upon arrival, first responders discovered two victims who had sustained gunshot wounds.
One of the victims was identified as Terrell Johnson, a 26-year-old Black male, who was found suffering from a critical injury to the head. He was urgently transported to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, but despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The incident was a double shooting that also left a second man injured. The 23-year-old survivor had been struck multiple times in the arms but was stabilized after receiving medical attention. Homicide detectives from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the attack, canvassing the area and seeking leads to identify the person responsible for the deadly encounter. The tragedy weighed heavily on the community and Johnson’s family, who later described him as a devoted father to three daughters and a brother to five siblings.
Weeks of investigation culminated in July 2023 when authorities announced a breakthrough in the case. Police identified 25-year-old John Wooten as the primary suspect. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office subsequently issued warrants for Wooten’s arrest, charging him with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and two counts of armed criminal action. He was taken into custody, initiating a legal process that would stretch over the following year as prosecutors built their case against him for the death of Johnson and the wounding of the second victim.
In November 2024, the case reached a resolution in the courtroom without a trial. John Wooten, then 26, appeared before a judge and entered a guilty plea to amended charges of second-degree murder and first-degree assault. During the emotional sentencing hearing, Johnson’s mother addressed the court to articulate the profound loss suffered by her family, while Wooten offered an apology to the bereaved relatives. The judge sentenced Wooten to serve 15 years in prison for the murder charge and 15 years for the assault charge, ordering the terms to run concurrently.
