Sheriff: Teen murder victim was shot while fleeing from entering autos with other suspects

STAFF REPORT :::

Two suspects are in custody and one remains at large related to the June 23 shooting death of 18-year-old Dallas Johnson.

Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division deputies discovered Johnson’s body in the Sunnyside Baptist Church parking lot.

Authorities say Johnson was shot by a cohort as he and three other suspects were involved in illegally entering autos in the area.

Sheriff Darrell Dix said the scene was immediately secured as deputies began searching for witnesses.

Investigators from the SCSO Criminal Investigation Division and Crime Scene Unit along with representatives of the District Attorney’s Office responded to the scene and began investigating Johnson’s death.

“The information gathered shows that Carmello Miller (sic), Jarvis Ard, Jonathan Morales, and Dallas Johnson, were in the process of breaking into multiple cars in that area. They were fleeing the area on foot from one of the autos that they entered when Miller, who was armed with a handgun, fired his weapon, and Johnson was struck by the round he fired,” Dix said. “After the shooting occurred, Miller, Ard and Morales loaded Johnson into a vehicle and drove him to Ard’s residence on Old Atlanta Road. When they arrived at the residence, 911 was called, but prior to the arrival of any first responders, Miller re-entered the vehicle with Johnson’s body still inside, drove it from the house into the parking lot of a nearby church, where he abandoned Johnson and the car in an effort to draw attention away from the residence. The Deputies and other First Responders found Johnson deceased where he and the car had been left.”

Officials say the location of the shooting has been determined, and that physical evidence and witness statements have corroborated investigative findings.

“We believe we located the place where the gunshot was fired that struck Johnson, and a shell casing and projectile have been recovered. Investigators also recovered a weapon that is believed to be the one used to shoot Johnson, along with video footage from the area. The evidence we recovered combined with witness statements and video footage corroborates what we learned during the investigation.”

The following suspects have been charged in connection with the death of Dallas Johnson and the other crimes:

Karmello Miller, age 18, of Morrow, has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, four counts of aggravated assault, eight counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, eight counts of entering auto, first-degree criminal damage to property and tampering with evidence;

Jonathan Morales, age 18, of Griffin, has been charged with eight counts of entering auto; and

Jarvis Ard, age 18, of Jonesboro, is currently wanted on outstanding warrants for eight counts of entering auto.

Miller and Morales are being held without bond in the Spalding County Jail.

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