Suspect Sentenced to Two Life Terms for 2021 Murder of BPD Officer, Second Victim

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Elliot Marcus Knox, the 34-year-old man responsible for the deaths of Baltimore Police Department officer 39-year-old Keona Holley and 38-year-old Justin Johnson on Dec. 16, 2021, was sentenced June 4 by Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer.

The two cases were separated by 90 minutes and 11 miles. Holley’s murder occurred on 4400 block of Pennington Avenue, then Knox with co-defendant, Travon Shaw, drove to the 600 block of Lucia Avenue, where they shot Johnson.

Knox received two concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole for two counts of first-degree murder. Additionally, he was sentenced to a consecutive 20 years, with the first five years without the possibility of parole, for firearm use in a felony violent crime.

Knox received a concurrent 15-year sentence, with the first five years without the possibility of parole, for illegal firearm possession. He was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and having a handgun on his person, the sentences for which were merged with the other counts.

Relatives of Holley described her as a dedicated mother of four, and at the time of the incident her oldest daughter was just about to turn 18 and her youngest son was only 10 years old. Holley’s sister said she would take care of the children for Holley and “fight until my last breath to see [Knox] suffer.”

Johnson’s aunt described the heartbreaking moment when Justin’s daughter realized she would never see her father again, and Justin’s sister mentioned that she would never understand what Knox did.

Families of the victims have all expressed their displeasure with Knox’s lying during the trial and are saddened by the fact that they will not be able to see their loved ones again, claiming that forgiving Knox will be the hardest thing due to the pain he caused them.

Defense attorney Natalie Finegar highlighted Knox’s troubled upbringing in a violent household and his imprisonment for robbery at the age of 16. Knox later worked as a delivery driver to reintegrate into society, but was shot during a delivery, leading to a diagnosis of PTSD.

In Knox’s statement to the court, he placed most of the blame on Shaw, claiming he was innocent and coerced to participate.

State’s Attorney Ivan Bates, in a statement released Tuesday, said the sentencing demonstrated their commitment to zero tolerance for violence and claimed that “our office thoroughly reviewed and investigated all of the information Mr. Knox said at his sentencing, and we could not corroborate any of it. This sentence ensures that Mr. Knox will never be able to harm anyone in Baltimore again.”

Shaw pleaded guilty to Holley’s murder in March after a jury found him guilty of Johnson’s murder. He was sentenced for life without parole for Johnson’s murder and agreed to an offer of life, suspending all but 40 years, for Holley’s death.