A 29-year-old Florida man is accused of killing a complete stranger by stabbing him several times in the head and neck with a pronged barbecue fork while failing to harm his own mother and cousin.
Roosevelt Loray Johnson was arrested on Monday and charged with one count of first-degree murder in the seemingly unprovoked attack, according to court documents reviewed by Law&Crime. According to a probable cause affidavit, police from the Riviera Beach Police Department responded to a report of an armed individual at the Berkley Landing Apartments in the 3100 block of Riviera Beach, approximately 75 miles north of Miami, at 6 p.m. on Monday.
Following the initial 911 call, dispatchers received other reports from bystanders assisting a man who had been stabbed near the apartment complex.
When first responders arrived, they found the victim, a 5-foot-5-inch Hispanic male aged 40 to 50, “bleeding and laying in the street next to his bicycle.”
Witnesses quickly identified Johnson as the offender, pointing him out as he sat on a seat at a nearby bus stop, smoking cigarette. Officers approached and detained Johnson, observing that he had blood on his hands. Police also discovered a two-pronged barbecue fork “with blood on both prongs” on the bench next to where Johnson was sitting.
Multiple witnesses told police the same story: Johnson approached the victim, who was riding his bicycle, and stabbed him many times before nonchalantly going over to the bus stop and starting a cigarette.
“Witness 3 observed [Johnson] stab the other male with an unknown object multiple times in the head and neck area,” according to the court document. “Witness-3 even heard [Johnson] repeatedly cry ‘DIE! DIE! DIE’ while stabbing the mystery person. Witness-3 reported that [Johnson] immediately stopped hitting the victim, stood up calmly, and turned to walk away. Witness-3 then left the area but encountered police and made contact with officers on the spot.”
Deborah McLeod, Johnson’s mother, told police that before attacking the stranger, he attempted to stab her with a fork.
“McLeod further explained that Johnson swung overhand to stab her, but her sweater got caught/tangled with the BBQ Fork and Johnson pulled back as if he missed,” according to the waiver. “McLeod then alleged that Johnson’s focus was redirected to his cousin, Rhiannon Phillips. Johnson then continued after Phillips with the BBQ Fork, but Phillips managed to barricade herself in the restroom.”
Following the unsuccessful attacks, McLeod stated that her son “stormed out of the apartment” while “carrying the BBQ fork.”
Johnson allegedly confessed to stabbing the victim in a post-Miranda interrogation with detectives, claiming he assaulted the man with “a fork,” according to the complaint.
“Detectives asked if Johnson knew the victim, and Johnson replied that he did not know him,” according to the confession. “As the questioning continued, Johnson paused detectives and asked, ‘Is the little Guatemalan dead?'” Johnson also said, “I just hit him.” I just started beating him. “He was just riding his bike and drinking beer.”
According to documents, Johnson is presently being held without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail. Johnson is charged with murder as well as one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.