Missouri Executes Johnny Johnson on August 1, 2023
Johnny Johnson, Missouri
Updated: Tuesday, August 1, 2023
On Tuesday, August 1, 2023, Johnny Johnson was executed in Missouri. He was pronounced dead at 6:33pm local time inside the execution chamber at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, & Corrections Center in Bonne Terre, Missouri. Johnny was 45 years of age. He was convicted of murdering six-year-old Casey Williamson on June 26, 2002, in St. Louis, Missouri. Johnny spent the last 18 years of his life on death row in Missouri.
Johnny alleged that he was abused and negated as a child. His sister testified that Johnny was sexually molested as a child. Johnny also claimed he had limited intelligence and a learning disability. As a teenager, Johnny was diagnosed with schizophrenia. As an adult, Johnny used drugs and drank alcohol.
Six-year-old Casey Williamson lived with her siblings and her mother, Angie. Her father, Ernie, who was separated from Angie, lived across the street with two other people, Michelle and Eddy. On July 24, 2002, Johnny Johnson arrived at Michelle’s home, looking for Eddy and Ernie. Casey’s sister and a friend saw Johnson that day. The young girls felt like Johnson was following them as they rode their bikes. Casey and her siblings stayed with their father that night.
The next morning, Angie discovered Casey and Johnson sitting on the couch watching cartoons. Johnson told Angie that Casey was not bothering him. However, Johnson later confessed that he had begun to think that Casey was “cute” and begin thinking of having sex with her. Angie observed Johnson around the house that day. He then joined a BBQ at Michelle’s house where the children again spent the night.
On July 26, 2002, Ernie began getting ready for work around 6 am. Casey came to him and said she was hungry. Ernie told her she would need to go to her mother for breakfast and to wait upstairs while he finished getting ready. Ernie also noticed Johnson asleep on the couch. While Ernie was getting dressed, Casey came back downstairs. Johnson woke up to find Casey near him watching television. As he later confessed, Johnson thought this would be the best time to have sex with her.
Johnson did not want to be caught and already decided to kill her after sexually assaulting her. Johnson lured Casey out of the house by asking if she wanted to go to a glass factory to play games and have fun. Casey agreed and left with Johnson. They walked to a nearby area with an abandoned factory. Johnson attempted to rape Casey, who fought back. Giving up, Johnson struck her with a brick and a boulder until she died. He then buried the body and went to a nearby river to wash off the blood and other evidence.
Police were already looking for Johnson and Casey when he returned. When police found Johnson coming back from the river, they immediately questioned him. Johnson at first claimed he would never hurt kids and that he just wanted to go for a swim. However, later, at the police station, a witness identified Johnson as the man seen walking with Casey that morning.
Later that afternoon, Johnson confessed to being with Casey, however, he claimed her death was an accident and that he attempted to cover it up because he didn’t think anyone would believe him. Casey’s body was found later that day at the abandoned factory. That night Johnson confessed to the crimes, including that he planned it.
Johnson was convicted and sentenced to death in 2005.
Please pray for the family of Casey Williamson. Pray for strength for the family of Johnny Johnson.
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