In the late hours of a summer evening in Little Rock, Arkansas, a tragic event unfolded that cut short the life of 30-year-old Gary Maxwell. On August 1, 2019, police responded to a call at a residence on Merrivale Drive, where they found Maxwell, a Black male, deceased from a gunshot wound. The call to emergency services was made by his girlfriend, 34-year-old Lafe Johnson, who stated that she had accidentally shot him.
Upon their arrival at approximately 11:47 p.m., authorities
discovered Maxwell's body. Johnson was taken into custody for questioning by homicide detectives who had responded to the scene. Investigators began a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including canvassing the neighborhood for any potential witnesses who might have seen or heard anything that could shed light on the incident.
Following the initial investigation and questioning, Lafe Johnson was released from custody without any charges being filed against her. The case was to be further reviewed by prosecutors to determine if charges were warranted. Maxwell's body was transported to the state crime lab for an autopsy to officially determine the cause of death. The investigation into the circumstances of the shooting remained ongoing as authorities worked to ascertain whether the incident was a tragic accident or something more.
