Insets: Devin Johnson and Rosemary Johnson (Cape Coral Police Department). Background: The Florida home where Devin Johnson allegedly murdered his mother Rosemary Johnson (WFTX/YouTube).
A Florida man allegedly attacked and terrorized his mother for months before eventually killing the 69-year-old and fleeing her home covered in blood, cops say.
Devin Johnson, 28, is charged with second-degree murder for the Tuesday slaying of his mom, Rosemary Johnson, at her Cape Coral residence, according to police. Devin Johnson was arrested in neighboring Collier County following a reported fight with local deputies. Police say he stabbed her in the head and neck.
His mother”s death comes just months after two separate incidents led to a protection order being requested by the sexagenarian, with a Lee County circuit court judge granting it in late March, according to court records. In one of those incidents, Devin Johnson allegedly cut the power off to their house and left her stranded in a “power recliner.”
It’s unclear why Devin allegedly killed Rosemary Johnson.
“Noticeable” amounts of blood were allegedly found on his shoes, as well as the exterior and interior of his car when cops caught up to him in Collier County and attempted a traffic stop. This ultimately led to the fight with deputies.
“Johnson exited the vehicle and fled on foot,” according to a Cape Coral PD press release. “Collier County Deputies chased him on foot and took him down. Due to his aggressive resistance to law enforcement, a Cape Coral Police Department K9 was utilized to complete his capture. While trying to put cuffs on Johnson, he struck the K9 multiple times, and attempted to take an officer’s firearm.”
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Court documents filed by police and Rosemary Johnson herself say Devin Johnson suffers from a “mental illness” that the mom described as schizophrenia. He allegedly attacked her on two separate occasions this year — in January and March — which led to Rosemary filing a petition for an injunction for protection “against domestic violence,” according to court records.
“On March 12 he grabbed my arms and held my arms down and bruised my arms and wrist and spit in my face over trying to take my phone (since he doesn’t have one),” Rosemary Johnson said in her petition, which she wrote by hand.
“He doesn’t have an income. He is unable to work because of his mental health,” Rosemary Johnson added. “Devin lives with me but now I am staying at my daughters because I don’t feel safe around him.”
In the petition, Rosemary Johnson described how Devin Johnson hit her with a “closed fist on the head” during an alleged attack in January. “I pressed charges and he went to jail for a month,” she noted.
Court documents related to the incident accuse Devin Johnson of leaving the woman stranded in a power recliner.
“Officers arrived on scene and made contact with an elderly female who appeared to be out of breath and sweating and fearful,” a probable cause statement said. “[Rosemary Johnson] stated that her son Devin Johnson, who lives with her, hit her on top of her head, took her mobility walker and threw it across the room and then proceeded to remove her cell phone from her hand and smashed it multiple times on the floor.”
According to police, Devin Johnson continued the alleged torment and “picked up the walker again and moved it further away” from his mother before going out to the garage and taking things to an even more disturbing level.
“[Devin] turned off the power at the electrical panel,” the probable cause statement said.
“This caused the victim to not be able to get out of her power recliner in her living room,” police alleged. “Johnson then took the car keys, a pile of clothing, fishing rod and spear gun before leaving the residence in the vehicle.”
Rosemary Johnson was eventually able to get out of her chair and use her laundry basket to get her walker to exit the home and ask a neighbor for help, per cops. Due to Devin Johnson’s diagnosis of schizophrenia, “him not taking his prescribed medication” and his recent behavior, authorities listed him as a “missing endangered person.”
Rosemary Johnson’s daughter reached out to police a few days later and said that the altercation led to her mom having a “bump” on the top of her head along with a “constant headache,” the court documents said.
On Tuesday, Rosemary Johnson was found dead by her own family after they couldn’t “get ahold” of her, according to Cape Coral police. “They drove to house, went in, observed bloody foot prints, and located their mother’s body,” the department reported. “Officers responded to the scene and located 69-year-old Rosemary Johnson deceased with a significant number of stab wounds to her head and neck.”
The Johnson family has allegedly told police that Devin has a history of substance abuse and domestic violence. “Ultimately, what we want is justice for the victim and her family,” said Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore at a press conference Thursday.
Devin Johnson is currently being held in Collier County as he awaits his first court date.
