In the early afternoon of a Monday in Linden, New Jersey, the life of 38-year-old Darrell Q. McCoy was tragically cut short. On October 5, 2020, shortly after 12:45 p.m., members of the Linden Police Department were dispatched to the 1200 block of Essex Avenue following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered McCoy outside his residence, suffering from a serious injury.
Emergency services transported McCoy to Trinitas Regional Medical Center in nearby Elizabeth. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he was pronounced dead shortly after 1:30 p.m. The incident prompted an immediate and intensive investigation into the fatal shooting.
The investigation was a collaborative effort led by the Union County Homicide Task Force and assisted by the Linden Police Department, the Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, and the Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit.
Their collective work led to the identification of a suspect in the case.
Two months after the shooting, a significant development occurred in the investigation. On December 7, 2020, 38-year-old Dion M. Johnson, also a resident of Linden, was apprehended in the Atlanta, Georgia, area by members of the U.S. Marshals Service. Johnson was charged with first-degree murder and two second-degree weapons offenses in connection with McCoy's death. Following his capture, he was held in custody in Georgia, awaiting extradition back to New Jersey to face the charges against him. Authorities continued to urge anyone with information regarding the matter to come forward.
