On February 11, 2023, at approximately 2:14 p.m., Bakersfield Police officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 300 block of Clifton Street. Upon arrival, they discovered 27-year-old Bakersfield resident Johnasen Lee Crummie, who had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man was found critically injured and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The initial investigation identified two suspects described as Black males; however, no further details were available at that time. Detectives from the Bakersfield Police Department conducted a thorough investigation, which led to the identification of 40-year-old Bakersfield resident, Darius Key, as a suspect in the case. On August 1, 2023, Key was arrested and booked into the Kern County Jail on suspicion of murder.
Court documents later revealed that the shooting was a planned attack, allegedly involving gang affiliations. Surveillance footage showed the suspect vehicle in the area prior to the shooting, and GPS data from Key's cellphones placed him at the scene. Additionally, forensic analysis of Key's phones revealed web searches related to the homicide and a photograph of the victim's Facebook profile. Key has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder and is currently awaiting trial.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have urged anyone with additional information to contact Detective Richardi at (661) 326-3858 or the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111.
