On the morning of January 4, 2023, a violent altercation took place at the Dobbs Tire and Auto Center located at 12626 Dorsett Road in Maryland Heights, Missouri. Reginald G. Brandy Sr., a 52-year-old male employee at the shop, became involved in a verbal dispute with a co-worker, 23-year-old De Shawn L. Johnson. The argument escalated in the back of the business away from customers, leading to a physical confrontation.
According to later statements given to investigators, Johnson claimed that Brandy struck him multiple times during the disagreement.
In response to the physical altercation, Johnson produced a firearm he had brought to the workplace and fired multiple shots at Brandy. Officers from the Maryland Heights Police Department responded to reports of shots fired shortly before 11:00 a.m. Upon their arrival, they discovered Brandy deceased at the scene from the gunshot wounds. Police immediately took Johnson into custody at the tire shop, where he admitted to the shooting and acknowledged that he and the victim had experienced previous disagreements prior to this fatal encounter.
Following the investigation, prosecutors from the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Johnson with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was held on a $1 million cash-only bond. Johnson waived his right to a jury trial, opting instead for a bench trial where a judge would determine the verdict. On October 24, 2024, the judge found Johnson guilty of both second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Authorities noted that the firearm used in the killing belonged to Johnson and was in his possession at the time of the dispute. Sentencing for the conviction was scheduled for December 12, 2024, with Johnson facing a potential prison term ranging from 10 to 30 years or life for the murder charge.
