In the spring of 2016, the life of 23-year-old John Valerio was tragically cut short in a brutal act of violence that also claimed the life of his fiancée. On the afternoon of April 4, 2016, police were called to a residence on North 26th Street in Camden, New Jersey, where they discovered a grim scene. Inside the home, Valerio and his 25-year-old fiancée, Aleshia Hill, were found deceased, both having suffered gunshot wounds.
The initial investigation revealed no signs of forced entry
into the couple's home, which left the community and their families searching for answers. The authorities embarked on a thorough investigation into the double homicide. It was soon discovered that several items were missing from the home, including the couple's cellphones, cash, and Hill's engagement ring, suggesting that robbery was a motive for the heinous crime.
Months later, in August 2016, a breakthrough in the case came with the arrest of Gary Johnson, a man who had been a co-worker of John Valerio. Prosecutors stated that Johnson and Valerio were acquainted and had spoken to each other at their shared workplace. The investigation uncovered that Johnson had gone to the couple's home with the intent to rob them. Witnesses later told investigators they had seen Johnson attempting to sell a ring that matched the description of the one stolen from Hill.
In March 2019, as a jury was deliberating murder charges against him, Gary Johnson chose to plead guilty to two counts of aggravated manslaughter. For his role in the deaths of John Valerio and Aleshia Hill, Johnson was subsequently sentenced to a significant prison term, bringing a measure of closure to a case that had deeply affected the Camden community.
