[music playing]
MAN: Listen.
Why would somebody, specifically--
WOMAN: Mm-hmm.
--put you near that victim when he was killed?
I just think--
I really don't know.
I wasn't over there.
NARRATOR: Getting a suspect to talk
can be the most difficult part of a homicide investigation.
For these New Orleans detectives,
it may be their only chance to solve the brutal murder
of 24-year-old Rodney Johnson.
All this stuff that you're feeding us right
now is a bunch of bull [muted].
But he was with you up until the point he was killed.
You saw the whole thing.
[crying]
[music playing]
ROB BARRERE: So we're heading uptown.
From what we gathered, there is a male victim
shot to death in broad daylight behind a church,
which is pretty brazen, even for New Orleans.
Usually, a church, you know, represents a safe place,
a place of worship.
The victim was where this brick is at.
There just was a little thing of blood here in the grass.
TANISHA SYKES: He was hit four times in the head,
twice at the back and three times over here,
almost like an execution.
ROB BARRERE: Right now, we don't have much to go on,
the [inaudible] who [inaudible] here in the neighborhood who
saw this, or at least saw maybe someone run from the scene,
saw something.
It's very important to find a witness.
We need one right now.
[dog barks]
You hear anything or see anything?
NARRATOR: Detectives speak with neighbors and get a lead.
TANISHA SYKES: The witness said the victim
was walking with a female.
She seen them come, walking up the street.
And when they got to the church, they turned into the alley.
NARRATOR: Moments later, gunshots
erupted behind the church.
[dramatic music]
And the witness saw the woman flee with a different man.
TANISHA SYKES: I want to find out who this girl is.
Maybe I can get her, and break her,
and then maybe we could have something to go on.
DESHAWN JOHNSON: It's like a shock.
I still don't believe it.
I know my son.
I'm not going to picture him as a perfect person.
He had problems in the past.
He even been to jail.
But he has a beautiful heart.
He didn't deserve to die like that.
He was somebody's child.
He was my child.
TANISHA SYKES: I can't imagine what you've gone through.
We wanna know who this female is.
So if y'all hear anything, and even if you
think it's not important, please give me a call to let me know.
And this girl, she brought him to that church.
He must have trusted her.
Whoever this lady is, she know everything.
NARRATOR: Acting on a tip from the family,
the team tracks down the mystery woman,
21-year-old Johnisha Taylor.
I just think--
I really don't know.
I wasn't over there.
TANISHA SYKES: But he was with you up until to the point
he was killed.
You saw the whole thing.
[crying]
NARRATOR: With little else to go on,
detectives need Johnisha to give up the shooter.
This dude right here?
Look at him.
He ain't deserve that.
No, he didn't.
But either I'm gonna be in prison for this,
or I'm gonna be the next one on this paper.
[sighs]
Oh, god.
Tell me.
Let's be honest.
What the hell is gonna happen to me?
We don't know what you know.
You're not telling us nothing.
THEO KENT: How are we supposed to help if we
don't get the information?
[music playing]
[crying]
OK.
All right.
On the day that he was killed, did you talk to him?
JOHNISHA TAYLOR: Yes.
He called me and told me that he had some weed for us to smoke.
We were walking past the church.
And I'm like, OK--
NARRATOR: Johnisha she says she and Rodney
walked into the alley behind the church.
JOHNISHA TAYLOR: When we got back there,
the guy came and actually sat him in front of me.
[crying]
NARRATOR: She says the suspect is her heroin dealer.
What's his name?
NARRATOR: 33-year-old Rononeall Hickman,
AKA, Slugga, lives down the street from the crime scene.
TANISHA SYKES: She says Slugga is the shooter.
So we'll get somebody to show how a lineup of Slugga.
How you doing, doll?
NARRATOR: If Johnisha can't pick Slugga from a lineup,
detectives can't charge him with the murder.
Take your time, and tell me which photograph you recognize
and how you recognize the individual.
[crying]
It's a choice that you have to make, doll.
We'll be right back.
[door closes]
[sobbing]
But sure, she said, he's in there,
but I'm scared as to what's gonna happen
to me when I identify him.
The only thing I'm saying is, if it ends right now,
I don't see we have enough to get that shooter.
Let's just see if we can pull her off that edge
to at least ID him first.
Rob is so smooth.
He's the nice guy.
Johnisha, how you doing?
Hi.
My name's Rob.
Are you OK?
What's wrong?
About what?
Here's a situation we have, OK?
Understanding you're free, and we
have witnesses that saw you leave with this person
after the murder happened.
NARRATOR: She says she went to Slugga's house
after the shooting.
OK.
When y'all got into that house, what happened?
[sobbing]
All right.
How long have you been using heroine?
How long you been buying from Slugga?
You've been victimized for a long time now by this guy.
Even right here in his room, he's controlling you.
Do you want to have to [inaudible] life with this guy?
No.
[sobbing]
You don't think that Slugga used you in this situation?
ROB BARRERE: He did. And don't let him control you.
He used you.
You're stronger than that.
[crying]
So you ready to look at these pictures again?
[crying]
OK.
All right, doll.
Yeah.
Um, just tell me who you recognize.
[crying]
What's his name?
[crying]
She's ID'd Slugga.
Hoo!
We got a ID.
Sometimes being nice, it helps, you know?
All right, Miss Taylor?
Stand up.
TANISHA SYKES: She's a heroin addict.
She told me that she's been on heroin
since she was 15 years old.
She just made 21.
You know, she's been through a lot.
But I believe she has more involvement in it
than she's actually letting on.
I think she set him up.
[handcuffs clank]
She suggested they go behind the church to smoke.
So it's just too much of a coincidence
that this guy would be in the back
of a church waiting for her and the victim to come back there.
NARRATOR: Four days later--
TANISHA SYKES: Oooh, I feel good about doing something
for Rodney and his family and getting them the justice
that they deserve.
That's what we work for.
[music playing]