Man sentenced for killing, dismembering his girlfriend inside her East New York apartment
Justin Williams, 27, will serve 26 years to life behind bars for fatally stabbing 22-year-old D'Asia Johnson, dismembering her body and hiding her remains. Prosecutors say Williams lived in Johnson's apartment with her remains and spent her money for weeks after the killing.
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A Manhattan man was sentenced for killing and dismembering his girlfriend inside her East New York apartment.
Justin Williams, 27, will serve 26 years to life behind bars for fatally stabbing 22-year-old D'Asia Johnson, dismembering her body and hiding her remains in 2022. Prosecutors say Williams lived in Johnson's apartment with her remains and spent her money for weeks after the killing.
Johnson endured abuse at the hands of Williams during their romantic relationship, which lasted for several years, court documents say. At some point before her death, the 22-year-old acquired an order of protection that required Johnson to stay away from her, which was active at the time of the attack.
Prosecutors say Williams entered Johnson's apartment on Linwood Street in the early morning hours of Aug. 21, where he stabbed her repeatedly, striking her heart and lung. He then dismembered Johnson's body and placed her remains in garbage bags, which he kept inside the apartment for nearly a month after her death.
In the meantime, court documents say Williams impersonated Johnson - to her job and to her concerned family. He called out of her job to ensure he would continue receiving her paychecks and used her public benefits to buy food.
According to prosecutors, Williams also used Johnson's income to pay women to perform sexual acts inside the apartment while her dismembered body decomposed nearby.
One of the building's staff members became concerned about Johnson and conducted a wellness check before calling police.
Williams was convicted of second-degree murder, concealment of a human corpse, fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, second-degree criminal impersonation and fifth-degree welfare fraud on June 16. He was sentenced Wednesday.
"D'Asia Johnson suffered horrific violence at the hands of this defendant, who then compounded that cruelty with conduct that showed a staggering disregard for her life, her dignity and the loved ones desperately searching for her. He has now been held accountable for that horrific brutality, and I hope D'Asia's family can find some measure of solace and justice in today's sentence."
