More suspects sought after deadly home invasion in Pennsauken
CAMDEN – An 18-year-old man accused of killing a Pennsauken woman during a home-invasion burglary had been in a dating relationship with one of the victim’s family members, a prosecutor said Friday.
The suspect, Joshua Johnson of Camden, also was accompanied by two other people during a "premeditated" break-in at the apartment of 62-year-old Darlene Randall, said Assistant Prosecutor Peter Gallagher.
A search continues for others involved in the incident, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.
The intruders entered Randall's home through an unlocked door around 1:50 a.m. on Jan. 9, Gallagher alleged at a detention hearing Friday.
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He said the attack occurred at a time when a victim “would be most defenseless and at their most vulnerable, obviously not expecting that someone would barge into her bedroom with a gun and pull the trigger several times.”
A criminal complaint alleges Johnson shot Randall “while attempting to take her cellular telephone.”
Three witnesses to the break-in "gave detailed descriptions of what they saw to investigators," Gallagher said.
One witness, a family member who had dated Johnson until late last year, identified the suspect by his voice, build and jacket, the prosecutor said. That person also described previously seeing Johnson with a gun that matched the weapon carried during the break-in, Gallagher added.
Surveillance video also showed the suspects walking to the rear of Randall’s apartment at the Sycamore Ridge complex on the 3700 block of Herbert Avenue.
Johnson is charged with felony murder, a charge brought when a homicide occurs during the commission of a crime. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison, Gallagher said.
The charge is only an allegation, and Johnson has not been convicted in the case.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Zucker argued for Johnson’s release on electronic monitoring.
He noted his client had no previous criminal record and was a lifelong resident of South Jersey, having moved to Camden after living for many years in Willingboro.
“He has very strong family support,” Zucker noted.
But Gallagher contended Johnson had shown “consciousness of guilt” by leaving South Jersey for Newark, where he was arrested on Jan. 12.
The prosecutor noted Johnson had changed his telephone number, and deleted content from his social media accounts. He also texted a message one day after Randall’s death, telling someone “I can’t come back at all.”
Superior Court Judge Edward McBride ordered Johnson to remain in Camden County Jail, pending his trial.
"At this point, the weight of the evidence is powerfully in favor of the state,” the judge said.
Jim Walsh covers public safety, economic development and other beats for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Joshua Johnson accused of killing Darlene Randall during home invasion
