On the evening of January 19, 2022, 27-year-old Sierra Johnson of Northeast Washington, D.C., was found shot inside a car parked with its hazard lights on in the 2500 block of Georgia Avenue NW near Howard University. Johnson, who was about four months pregnant, was taken to a hospital but died of her injuries. Her two young children were in the vehicle at the time and were not physically harmed.

Investigators described the shooting as domestic in nature. Police say 27-year-old Joseph Fox of Capitol Heights, Maryland, was in the passenger seat that night; court papers allege he shot Johnson multiple times inside the car, then exited and shot her again before fleeing. Fox was arrested on January 25, 2022, and charged with second-degree murder while armed, carrying a pistol without a license, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. In March 2022 he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon; on June 17, 2022, he received a 21-year prison sentence followed by five years supervised release.

Johnson’s family delivered victim impact statements at sentencing and her oldest sister has custody of the children. If anyone knew Sierra, her movements that night, or has information about the relationship, please share what is known.