Morico Tyrone Johnson was arrested on May 24, 2022 for a January 3, 2009 double-homicide in Mount Union, Pennsylvania. Sometime during the night of January 3, an intruder broke into the apartment of 22-year-old Christine McWhorter and her aunt, 31-year-old Beatrice Daniels. Both women were shot in the head with a .25 caliber handgun. McWhorter’s two young children, a 4 month-old infant and a 4-year-old toddler, were in the apartment at the time of the murders and were unharmed.
Police found droplets of blood throughout the apartment, including on the staircase and door. A DNA profile of an unknown male was developed. Parabon Nanolabs performed forensic phenotyping of the suspect in 2016, and in 2018 performed the FGG investigation as well.
Johnson was identified by FGG as a candidate. He was interviewed by the Pennsylvania State Police in December of 2019, at which time he consensually provided a DNA sample for comparison with the crime scene DNA. Police continued their investigation, although there is no information on why his arrest was delayed for a further 2 1/2 years.
At the time of the murders, Johnson was dating a close friend of McWhorter, and had come to visit her in Mount Union. The couple had argued as Johnson suspected her of having an affair with another man. Johnson has denied going to the victims’ apartment, and the motive for the murders has not yet been made public. Johnson was then an employee with the New York Department of Corrections.
Johnson had his preliminary hearing on July 12, 2022, where the judge deemed there was enough evidence to constitute a prima facie case. Johnson is charged with two counts of homicide in the Huntington County Court of Common Pleas.
Sources:
Berdar, Rebecca. “Suspect Arrested in 13-Year-Old Cold Case.” Huntingdon Daily News, May 27, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. https://www.huntingdondailynews.com/news/local/suspect-arrested-in-13-year-old-cold-case/article_9d5ffb91-6f65-575c-ba0e-b3ddab5332fe.html.
Berdar, Rebecca. “Testimony Heard in Double Murder.” The Daily News, July 14, 2022. Accessed January 15, 2023. https://www.huntingdondailynews.com/news/local/testimony-heard-in-double-murder/article_f02baa22-6625-545b-b993-e65945816c51.html.
Kennedy, Peyton, and Bill Shannon. “Newport News Man Arrested in 13-Year Old Cold Case Murders.” WAVY.com, May 27, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. https://www.wavy.com/news/crime/newport-news-man-arrested-in-13-year-old-cold-case-murders/.
Sullivan, Ali. “DNA Testing Leads to Arrest of Newport News Man in 2009 Double-Homicide Cold Case.” Daily Press, May 27, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. https://www.dailypress.com/news/crime/vp-nw-cold-case-arrest-pennsylvania-20220527-jnuxszrp25fcdhw3nwvbia7lim-story.html.
Wegner, Helena. “DNA Evidence Links Man to the Killing of Two Women 13 Years Ago, PA Police Say.” Sacramento Bee, May 27, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article261887595.html.