A 19-year-old man was arrested for the murder of the man who allegedly assaulted his girlfriend, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WFAA
DALLAS — A 19-year-old man was charged last week with the murder of a man whom he alleges assaulted his girlfriend, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WFAA.
Officers responded around 5:24 p.m. on April 24 to reports of a man being shot and killed at 3015 East Ledbetter Drive in Dallas, according to the affidavit. When police arrived, they found Sylvester Adzati dead at the scene, police said.
As officers responded to the scene, the original 911 caller reported seeing a man wearing an orange shirt and black shorts run through the apartments, the affidavit states. Police found a suspect matching the description walking in the area, who then ran away from the area on foot, police said.
Officers later found the suspect, identified as Nehemiah Isaiah Johnson, hiding in a doghouse and placed him under arrest, according to the affidavit. Officers also found a shirt matching the suspect’s description in the yard where Johnson was arrested, officials said. Police also recovered a phone near the location of the shooting.
Surveillance video from the scene allegedly shows Johnson loitering in the area before the shooting occurred and leaving the area of the shooting after the incident, the affidavit states.
In an interview with police, Johnson said Adzati allegedly knew his girlfriend and alleged that two days ago, Adzati put a weapon to her head and demanded she have sex with him, allegedly threatening her and preventing her from leaving. Johnson said he learned about the assault on the day of the shooting, and told a stranger about the incident before hearing several gunshots, the affidavit states.
“I was just crying, and somebody came up to me and asked me what was wrong,” Johnson allegedly said. He said he does not know the identity of the man who he alleges shot and killed Adzati.
Johnson’s girlfriend confirmed to police that the incident occured two days prior, and said Adzati took her phone and held her in his car to prevent her from leaving, the affidavit states. She did not file a police report because she felt threatened, police said.
Officers found that Johnson previously reported being robbed by two people at the same apartment complex several days before the incident, according to the affidavit. Using this information, police arrested Johnson for evading arrest. Investigators then returned to the scene to collect more surveillance footage and witness statements, officials said.
Johnson did not admit to shooting Adzati; however, police used the information provided in his interview with police, witness statements, cell phone data, and surveillance video to arrest Johnson in connection with the shooting, officials said.