WEST MEMPHIS, AR – A 27-year-old man convicted of murdering an off-duty police officer in Arkansas is likely to never step foot outside of prison, considering that the murderer was sentenced to two life-sentences in prison on top of a 835 year sentence as well.
Arkansas man gets 2 life terms, 835 years for killing off-duty police officer https://t.co/kivWRHk5on pic.twitter.com/v1j5QWSqX3
— KCTV5 News (@KCTV5) September 10, 2020
Demarcus Donnell Parker was convicted on September 8th for the April, 2018 murder of Forrest City Police Officer Oliver Johnson.
The charges that Parker was convicted of consisted of first-degree murder, illegally shooting a weapon from a vehicle and 21 other related charges for the murder of the off-duty officer.
Demarcus Donnell Parker – Crittenden County Jail
The shooting death of the officer occurred while Parker was trying to shoot at some rival gang members, according to prosecutors, which then resulted in a stray bullet striking Officer Johnson.
At the time of the shooting, Officer Johnson was inside of his apartment when a bullet penetrated the building and caught the officer in his torso.
A co-defendant on the case, George Henderson, is also facing charges related to the death of Officer Johnson.
George Henderson – Crittenden County Jail
However, Henderson has pleaded not guilty, and the criminal proceedings are still pending against the accused.
Law Enforcement Today has been covering this case since it first transpired in April of 2018. Here’s out original report of when the officer was murdered.
_
A Forrest City police officer was shot and killed inside his own home Saturday, officials said.
Officer Oliver Johnson, Jr. was inside his home just before 2 p.m. in West Memphis, Ark., when an unidentified person unleashed a spray of bullets at his home, FOX13 Memphis reported. Neighbors said there were children inside the home, including Johnson’s daughter.
“They hit the apartment. They hit the car. They hit the whole place up,” one resident who witnessed the shooting told FOX13.
TRAGIC.
Saturday shift kicks off with Forrest City PD officer shot and killed inside his West Memphis home. Working to learn more about what happened. pic.twitter.com/evzl4DEdOB
— Tony Atkins (@TonyAtkinsTV) April 28, 2018
Johnson died after being struck by a bullet. A family member inside the house attempted to perform CPR on the off-duty police officer, WREG reported. Portia Weatherspoon, Johnson’s relative, said she heard about 40 gunshots.
Forrest City Police Officer Oliver Johnson Jr. was shot and killed in his Arkansas home. (Facebook)
Authorities are still investigating the incident, including identifying the suspects. However, they believe Johnson was not targeted in the shooting.
Rather, a group of people was firing shots outside the officer’s apartment while he was at home, off duty, West Memphis Police Capt. Joe Baker said.
Johnson was struck once in his upper torso by an errant bullet, according to Baker.
“It was an encounter between the suspects and another group outside of the apartment,” Capt. Baker told WREG. “This hits everyone a little close to home in law enforcement. He was a police officer, some of my officers did, in fact, know him.”
Johnson was a father of two daughters. He and his fiancé were planning a birthday party for their youngest daughter, according to the news site.
Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin said he was “heartbroken” to hear about Johnson’s death.
“Heartbroken to hear about the senseless killing of Forrest City Police Officer Oliver Johnson Jr. in eastern AR. May God’s grace and comfort be with his family & loved ones,” he tweeted.
Heartbroken to hear about the senseless killing of Forrest City Police Officer Oliver Johnson Jr. in eastern AR. May God’s grace and comfort be with his family & loved ones. https://t.co/LVtUi6Bi5D
— Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin (@LtGovTimGriffin) April 28, 2018
The following details were posted on a GoFundMe page:
On April 28th, 2018 Officer Oliver Johnson Jr. was inside his home in West Memphis, Arkansas playing video games with his family. Unbeknown to him there was an incident unfolding in his apartment complex. Individuals involved in incident began shooting and Officer Johnson was fatally struck by a stray bullet. His benefits are limited because this was not considered a line of duty death by the insurance companies. We are asking for your support in honor of his young fiance and small children. If you have further questions feel free to call the Forrest City Police Department in Arkansas.
Forrest City Police Department mentioned Johnson’s death on its Facebook page, after previously stating it had to cancel all of Saturday’s events “with a heavy heart…due to unforseen (SIC) circumstances.”
Just this week, another officer was killed after the suspect shot him in the face.
HENDERSONVILLE, NC- Sheriffs deputy Ryan Hendrix, who has been fighting for his life for several hours today has died after being shot in the face early this morning by a reoccurring criminal.
At 2:50 a.m. on Thursday September 10th, a couple called police to report an attempted car break in, after witnessing a man using a crowbar to enter a vehicle on Bethea Drive near Hendersonville.
While waiting for police, the homeowner grabbed his own firearm and headed outside to confront the car thief. The two men exchanged gunfire before the homeowner retreated back into his house.
Deputy Ryan Hendricks from Hendersonville, NC was shot early this morning while responding to a call of two neighbors shooting at one another around 0200/2AM. The Suspect who shot him is dead, but Deputy Hendrix is in critical condition. @StuBishop_LPD Please share and pray pic.twitter.com/s7UkJuOWA4
— Austin Rosario (@AustinRRosario) September 10, 2020
When police arrived, they found the suspect sitting in a pickup truck across the street from the residence of the original call.
Jeremy Troy, a nearby witness told WYFF4 News he was working late at CarSmart Direct when he heard a single gunshot at around 3 a.m. Thursday.
Troy claims he heard a series of shots from different caliber guns being fired close by. According to Troy, about 45 minutes later, deputies arrived, sped down Piney Ridge Drive and blocked off the no-outlet neighborhood. He then said he heard more gunfire.
Troy said:
“Shortly there after that, One of the squad cars came – and he was driving very erratically,”
He continued:
“He kind of ran over the grass here and he pulled off just 100 yards from here across the road and the officer said, ‘I need help,’ the officer screamed, ‘I need help’.”
According to WYFF4, Troy said he ran into his office to grab keys to a car so he could transport the injured deputy to safety, but when he got back to the side of the highway, EMS and a fire truck were assisting the deputy.
He said:
“I got out of the way…within 5 minutes, there must have been 100 cops here. It was…it was crazy,”
In a press conference, Sheriff Lowell Griffin said that the suspect, now identified as Robert Ray Doss Jr. initially complied with deputies’ commands to put his hands up, but then quickly grabbed his gun and shot Deputy Ryan Hendrix in the face.
Two other deputies returned fire and pulled Hendrix to safety until other officers arrived at the scene. SWAT was then called to the scene to take control, and Doss was killed in the exchange of gunfire.
Hendrix was rushed to Mission Hospital in critical condition, where he fought for several hours, but ultimately died from his injuries this evening.
Griffin described Doss as a career criminal who was currently wanted with SC DPPP for a parole violation. He has a lengthy record with arrests in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland.
Hendrix, a former Marine, has served as a sheriffs deputy for the past eight years. He leaves behind two young children.
JUST IN: A North Carolina sheriff’s deputy was critically wounded and a suspect was killed early Thursday during an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement in Hendersonville.
— FOX 46 Charlotte (@FOX46News) September 10, 2020
Law Enforcement Today wishes to extend our condolences for the fallen officer and his family at this difficult time.
—
Want to make sure you never miss a story from Law Enforcement Today? With so much “stuff” happening in the world on social media, it’s easy for things to get lost.
Make sure you click “following” and then click “see first” so you don’t miss a thing! (See image below.) Thanks for being a part of the LET family!
