Missing Charlotte woman, 2 children were slain, CMPD says. Suspect captured in California
A Charlotte woman and her two children who were reported missing this month were slain, Police Chief Johnny Jennings said Saturday, a day after police found human remains thought to be the family.
The suspect in their killings was captured Saturday in Imperial County, California, near the Mexico border, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said in a case update.
Benjamin Joseph Taylor, 35, is charged with three counts of murder and one count of concealment of death, CMPD said. He is awaiting extradition.
Details of how Taylor was located have not been released.
“We will bring justice to the person responsible for these murders,” Jennings said. “We’ll do everything we can to bring closure for the family.”
Jennings confirmed that officers found the bodies of Markayla Johnson, 22, her 4-year-old, Miracle Johnson, and 7-month-old Messiah Johnson.
Jennings said the suspect had been in a relationship with Johnson. Jennings did not say how the family died.
“We have no idea of the motive,” Jennings said. “At this point it’s very early (in the investigation). ... We want to talk to this person (of interest) to find out what happened out here.”
The Johnsons were last seen in the 400 block of Orchard Trace Lane, CMPD said on March 8 when they asked the public for help in finding them.
Family members of the victims sobbed as Jennings conducted Saturday’s news conference at the apartment complex on Orchard Trace Lane.
“Behind me are the grieving family that lost their loved ones and now have to move forward, because of the hands of another person, without their family,” Jennings said.
“I praise the family to have the strength to come out and stand behind me,” Jennings said. “As difficult as it is for me to talk about, I can’t imagine the difficulty it is to stand here and listen to me talk about this.”
On Friday, police said they found remains about 1:45 p.m. while conducting an investigation in the same block. Orchard Trace Lane is off Reagan Drive near Interstate 85 in northeast Charlotte.
Jennings said he expects the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office to confirm their identities Monday.
“As you look at the homicides that have been occurring across the city, nothing is worse than homicides of small children and family members,” Jennings said.
Homicide investigators collect evidence
On Friday, CMPD crime scene investigators combed a second-floor apartment in the complex, footage from Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC showed.
When officers found the remains, CMPD homicide unit detectives were brought in to investigate, according to Friday’s CMPD news release. CMPD crime scene officers collected physical evidence, police said.
CMPD urges anyone with information about the case to call homicide unit Detective Adam Planty at 704-432-8477 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 704-334-1600.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published March 16, 2024 at 10:14 AM with the headline "Missing Charlotte woman, 2 children were slain, CMPD says. Suspect captured in California."