In the spring of 2017, the life of Odean Johnson, a 21-year-old Black male from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was tragically cut short. On the morning of May 11, his body was discovered lying on the road at 1500 E. 60th Street. He had been fatally shot. The initial investigation by the Tulsa Police Department left the motive for the shooting unclear, though detectives considered the possibility of a dispute involving stolen property, money, drugs, or gang-related activities.
Johnson was a resident of Tulsa at the time of his death, having moved there from Okmulgee in the third grade.
The investigation into Odean Johnson's death led authorities to 25-year-old Javonta Williams. At the time, Williams was already in custody in connection with a separate shooting incident. Investigators charged Williams with first-degree murder for his role in Johnson's death. The case against Williams was strengthened by the arrest of his girlfriend, 37-year-old Telisha Williams. She was accused of attempting to mislead investigators by providing a false alibi for Javonta Williams and was subsequently charged as an accessory to murder.
While the arrests marked a significant breakthrough in the case, the full scope of the circumstances leading to the young man's death continued to be a focus for law enforcement. Detectives pursued leads related to potential gang affiliations and the possibility that the homicide was the result of a robbery for cash or drugs. Odean, known to his family as 'Mookie' and 'Stinky,' was remembered for his love of basketball, singing, rapping, and dancing. His family described him as having a gorgeous smile and a sweet personality, a young man who would give you the shirt off his back.
