Derrick R. Johnson : "2006 Fort Wayne businessman murder charges"

– Man charged with murder in shooting of Fort Wayne businessman
– Man accused of killing Fort Wayne businessman in 2006 shooting.

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

A 39-year-old man serving a sentence at Westville Correctional Facility is now facing charges for the killing of a Fort Wayne business owner in 2006, according to court documents.

Derrick R. Johnson has been charged with murder, felony murder, and robbery in connection with the fatal shooting of Robert Scott Parrish on March 29, 2006. Parrish was found dead from a gunshot wound in his home, which was later determined to be a homicide by the coroner.

Police discovered a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson shell casing at the crime scene, along with a marijuana grow operation in Parrish’s basement. Two years after the incident, investigators identified a suspect known as “Q”, later identified as Derrick Johnson, who confessed to shooting Parrish during a robbery.

In a letter sent to the Allen County Prosecutors Office in 2015, Johnson confessed that Parrish was killed by his gang, Northern Vatos Locos, for stealing marijuana and money. Johnson admitted to enforcing the execution order, which specified a single head shot and leaving the shell casing at the scene.

During questioning in 2015, Johnson revealed that Parrish employed members of his gang to launder money through his business. Johnson acknowledged his role in ensuring Parrish’s execution and confessed to being “just as guilty as anyone”, citing his organization’s “Code of Silence” for not revealing the shooter’s identity.

Despite claiming he did not pull the trigger, Johnson admitted to owning a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson gun matching the shell casing found at the crime scene. He also confessed to purchasing marijuana from Parrish and acknowledged carrying firearms at the time of the murder.

Johnson, currently in custody for aggravated battery, was formally charged with murder, felony murder, and robbery on May 13. The case highlights the complexity of gang-related crimes and the consequences of criminal activities.