Family of man killed at Anderson barbershop still seeking justice
ANDERSON, Ind. (WISH) — The family of a man who police said was shot and killed at a barbershop in Anderson is pleading with the community to come forward with information.
The Madison County Prosecutor’s Office announced plans to drop charges against Raymond Johnson, 26.
It has been a difficult year for Tina Boone-Turner. This past Thanksgiving was the first one without her son Brandon.
While the days are getting harder, Turner said she’s not giving up the fight for justice.
“I don’t want to think that my son died in vain and we won’t get justice for him, and I have since day one been fighting to get justice for him,” Turner said.
Police said her 24-year-old son was shot and killed while visiting a barbershop near West 22nd Street and Fairview Street in Anderson early Thanksgiving morning in 2014.
Police said his brother was also attacked with a baseball bat during the robbery.
“Brandon wasn’t a bad child. He wasn’t a bad adult. I mean, he wasn’t perfect. When they took him from me I felt like not only did they take my son, it took my son, my kids’ brother,” Turner said.
Police arrested Johnson in connection to the crime over the summer.
He was charged with murder and robbery.
But now the Madison County Prosecutor says those charges are expected to be dismissed by Monday before the trail was scheduled to start.
Rodney Cummings said the biggest problem is lack of strong evidence.
“Ordinarily, the DNA results will say 1 in 500,000, 1 in 5 billion or 1 in 3 trillion. I’ve never seen DNA results like this — one in six — and, you know, that is almost not a match,” said Cummings.
Cummings said he is frustrated and so is the family.
They are hoping for someone to come forward with new information to close the case.
“There are a lot of people that need to stop this code of silence and cooperate so we can get these criminals off the streets,” Cummings said.
Cummings said Johnson will not be released from jail right away because of other pending charges.
