Rupert Timothy Haughton, a 36-year-old Black minister of music, was shot and killed in Richmond, Virginia on January 14, 2022. Officers responding to a report of a person shot found Haughton unresponsive in the 2200 block of West Grace Street at about 1:15 p.m.; he was pronounced dead at the scene and his death was recorded as the city’s first homicide of 2022.

Haughton moved to Richmond in 2003 to attend Virginia Union University and led the gospel group R. Timothy Haughton and ReNewed, earning nominations for his musical work. Friends and family described him as lovable, funny, churchgoing, and influential in the gospel community. Investigators reported the shooting happened during a custody exchange.

Detectives identified 27-year-old Zakell Johnson as the suspect; Johnson was arrested and charged with murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Does anyone have information about Haughton, the West Grace Street area that afternoon, or the custody exchange?