Shirley Blakely, 54, was found bleeding and in critical condition by her son at her home in the Lackawanna area of Jacksonville on June 5, 2019. She had sustained multiple injuries in a violent attack and died shortly after being discovered. Her son said she identified her attacker by pointing toward a neighbor’s house and saying the nickname Bam before she passed away.

Investigators quickly identified a 24-year-old neighbor, Darnell Eugene Johnson, as a suspect. He was initially detained for damaging a video system in a police interview room; subsequent evidence, including forensic links to the scene and reports of Johnson’s erratic behavior and claims that Shirley had cursed him, led to charges of first-degree murder and armed burglary. Johnson’s mother reported his strange behavior to police and permitted a search of her vehicle where incriminating items were found.

The case proceeded to trial and in April 2021 Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder and armed burglary and sentenced to life without parole. If anyone knew Shirley, her routines, or saw anything in Lackawanna around June 5, 2019, please share what is known.