Firearms and Cellphone Evidence Linked to Appleton Street Murder Suspect

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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea Handy presided over the third day of a jury trial for 29-year old defendant Kemonta Johnson. Johnson is accused of the murder of Dontae Johnson, to whom he is not related.

The incident occurred on Nov. 24, 2021 in the 1000 block of Appleton Street. The prosecutor presented video evidence to the jury that showed three suspects exiting a 2007 Silver Chevrolet Uplander minivan and walking into an alleyway that connects to 1000 block of N. Payson Street and Appleton Street.

Following gunshot sounds, the suspects ran out of the alleyway and got into the van before immediately driving away. The Baltimore Police Department received notifications of shots fired at 3 p.m.

A firearms examiner testified that one of the guns recovered from the scene, a 9mm Ruger Security pistol, likely matched the 12 cartridge casings found by investigators.

The prosecution also called an FBI special agent who analyzed Johnson’s cellular record from the day of the incident. The agent testified that the phone number and email address on the cellphone matched Johnson’s.

The prosecution and defense attorney Jason Rodriguez will present closing arguments on a later date.