On March 26, 2024, the life of Cedric Dickens, a 56-year-old Black male known to many as “Mojoe,” was tragically taken inside his own home on Vine Street in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The events of that day unfolded after a man identified as 32-year-old Andre Johnson arrived at the residence. Witnesses later described Johnson's behavior as paranoid. The situation escalated dramatically when Johnson allegedly fired a shot at a person in the front yard.
The bullet missed, but the sound of the gunshot prompted a reaction from within the house. Dickens exclaimed, "Hey!", and in response, Johnson is said to have turned and fired his weapon, striking Dickens.
Emergency services were called, and Cedric Dickens was rushed to a local hospital. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The Chattanooga Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation that quickly zeroed in on Andre Johnson as the primary suspect. A crucial witness who was present during the incident provided a detailed account to homicide detectives and identified Johnson from a photo lineup. Further solidifying the case against him, Johnson had inadvertently left his cell phone at the scene of the crime.
With mounting evidence, authorities secured arrest warrants for Johnson on a slew of serious charges, including first-degree murder, attempted criminal homicide, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The manhunt concluded on April 4, 2024, when members of the Chattanooga Police Department's Fugitive Unit and the United States Marshal Service located him in an apartment on McBrien Road. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center. During a subsequent court appearance, General Sessions Court Judge Gary Starnes set his bond at $1.6 million, citing Johnson's history of violent acts and deeming him "an extreme danger to the public."
In March 2026, Andre Johnson's trial ended in a split verdict and a partial mistrial. The outcome resulted from the jury becoming hopelessly divided on a reduced charge of second-degree murder. As of that month, the case remained in litigation.
