An advocate for criminal justice who had bragged about his life-changing experiences after being released from prison, appearing on shows like Joe Rogan’s podcast, was taken into custody on murder charges on Thursday. He was suspected of carrying out a vicious murder that shocked residents of a Bronx neighborhood.
As reported by police, during a health check on Tuesday night, a man’s mutilated body was found in an apartment on Summit Avenue in Highbridge. In a plastic bucket, officers discovered a human torso and foot.
According to police, a worried neighbor noticed hearing gunshots being fired from the apartment and saw a male carrying different cleaning products come and go from the building several times during the night. Evidence captured on camera at the apartment’s main entrance revealed a man also carrying the cleaning supplies.
The killer was recognized as Sheldon Johnson, a former high-ranking member of the Bloods gang who served 25 years in prison for attempting murder. The 48-year-old had been dealing with the Queens Defenders office after his release from jail, where he shared his experiences of trying to turn his life around and assist other young people in separating from gang life.
In February, he appeared as a guest on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, where he discussed his incarceration.
Johnson stated at the time, “Prison brings 2 things to you: It pulls out your best or it pulls out the worst.”
After viewing Johnson on tracking, law enforcement officials reportedly showed NBC New York how they searched Johnson’s residence and discovered the victim’s head, arms, and legs in the freezer. Following his arrest, he was accused of manslaughter, murder, and possessing a weapon.
As Johnson was being brought in handcuffs to leave the police precinct, he yelled, “I’m not guilty,” to reporters.
The victim, 44-year-old Collin Small, did not yet have the cause of death identified by the medical examiner.