DETROIT (AP) — An Indiana man who prosecutors said used a dating app to target members of the LGBTQ community has been sentenced to at least 27 years in jail for the killing of a Michigan man.
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Kevin Cox sentenced Diabolique Paris Johnson on Wednesday to 25 to 45 years for second degree murder and two years on a felony firearm charge.
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Cox also sentenced Johnson to 15 to 30 years for the armed robbery of another Michigan man. That term will be served concurrently with the lengthier murder sentence in the death of 39-year-old Joshua Smelser.
The Detroit News reports that Johnson’s attorney, Sanford Schulman, said his client pleaded guilty to the charges and took responsibility for his actions.
During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, Schulman said drug use may have influenced Johnson’s actions. Johnson apologized to his own family and
Michigan prosecutors said Johnson, who is 35, used online dating applications to target gay men by inviting them to motels in the Detroit area and robbing them.
Mar 28, 2023
