Diano Johnson, a 38-year-old man, was found deceased in Detroit, Michigan, on June 21, 2019, the victim of a brutal murder. The events leading to his death began on June 19, 2019, when he arranged to meet 28-year-old Anthony Brock, whom he had connected with on Facebook.
Following their meeting, it is alleged that Brock forced Johnson into the trunk of his own car. Brock then reportedly picked up a second man, 30-year-old Darnell Wilson.
The two men are then alleged to have driven Johnson to a location on the city's east side. There, they are accused of pulling him from the vehicle and shooting him multiple times. The day after the murder, Brock allegedly set Johnson's car on fire and sustained burns to his legs in the process.
An investigation by the Detroit Police Department led to the arrest of Anthony Brock on June 25, 2019, and Darnell Wilson on July 12, 2019. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office has charged both men with first-degree murder, felony murder, armed robbery, carjacking, unlawful imprisonment, and multiple firearm offenses. Brock faces an additional charge of arson. The case was assigned to a special prosecutor from the Fair Michigan Justice Project, an organization that assists in solving serious crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals. Prosecutors believe the motive for the murder may have been to silence Johnson about a sexual encounter between him and Brock.
