MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The second day of the trial for one of the men accused of killing famous Memphis rapper Young Dolph continued Tuesday with the testimony from the former lead investigator of the case, the suspect’s half-brother, and a witness to a car exchange.
Young Dolph was shot and killed at Makeda's Cookies on Airways Blvd. in Nov. 2021.
Justin Johnson, also known as “Straight Drop,” is pleading not guilty to multiple charges including first-degree murder.
Former Memphis Police homicide investigator Terence Dabney explained how they developed a timeline using video to track the white Mercedes used in the shooting.
Dabney said all that police had to go on when they started their investigation were the clothes the suspects were wearing, the guns they used and the car they were driving.
Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman with the prosecution is arguing that Johnson is one of the two shooters who fired on Dolph based on the clothes he was wearing.
“He’s wearing a black baseball cap that has Bass Pro on it,” Dabney said, describing the photos from the crime scene. “Also has his face covered. Has a black hoodie. Also has some gray sweats. The gray sweats also has a little insignia on it. He also has some dark colored shoes.”
Dabney said that they discovered the white Mercedes used in the shooting abandoned in Orange Mound across the street from fellow murder suspect Hernandez Govan’s house.
“On the Mercedes, you can see it has some damage on the passenger side rear,” Dabney said.
Dabney said the white Mercedes was stolen by Treon Ingram during a carjacking weeks before the murder. Dabney said after arresting Ingram, they got information about the Mercedes being seen at Johnson’s Crosstown apartment complex.
Dabney said they found video of Johnson leaving his apartment nine hours before the murder, wearing what appears to be the same clothes as one of the shooters.
“He has the Bass Pro hat on, the black hoodie, the sweats with the low-rolled black shoes with the white souls,” Dabney said, describing the video. “You can also see a distinctive tattoo on his hand.”
Dabney said they found video (which they played in court) from a Valero gas station at around 3 a.m. the day of Dolph’s murder. It showed a car exchange involving the white Mercedes and an Infinity. Khistan Garner testified Tuesday that he was in that Mercedes and saw Johnson get out of the Infinity and into the Mercedes with him.
“We got some gas then talked for a minute,” Garner said. “Then we pulled up and pulled back around, and then Straight Drop (Johnson) got in the Benz we was in.”
Video shows the damaged Mercedes drive up to Johnson’s apartment at 4:48 a.m., and Johnson is seen returning to his apartment holding his young daughter.
Johnson’s defense attorney Luke Evans reiterated to the jury that Johnson’s fingerprints were not among the many found on the car.
“You can’t see who’s driving the Mercedes,” Evans said.
Deputy D.A. Hagerman then played video of Johnson and his young daughter leaving the apartment and walking to the parking garage.
The white Mercedes is then seen leaving Johnson’s apartment 37 minutes before Young Dolph is shot and killed.
Jermarcus Johnson, half-brother of Justin Johnson, is charged with taking possession of his brother’s phone and aiding him to communicate with Cornelius Smith, who has admitted to being the second gunman in Dolph’s shooting.
Jermarcus is pleading guilty to accessory after the fact. Tuesday, he told Deputy D.A. Hagerman that Justin wanted him to take his phone to manage his social media accounts. However, Jermarcus said he ended up relaying text messages between Justin and Smith (known as C).
“He said, ‘Have you talked to ‘Unc?’ Then he said, ‘If you talk to Unc, tell him I need some money for my little girl’s birthday party,’” Jermarcus said.
Deputy D.A. Hagerman indicated that Unc is “Big Jook,” the man who put the $100,000 hit out on Dolph.