Indiana man enters guilty pleas for homicide, robbery and weapons charges in Wayne County

An Indianapolis man pleaded guilty in felony cases related to targeting members of the LGBTQ community, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced today in conjunction with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and Fair Michigan Justice Project (FMJP).

Diabolique Paris Johnson, 35, of Indianapolis, IN, entered the pleas before Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Kevin Cox Monday afternoon. He was first charged last year.

On case number 21-2770-FC, he pleaded guilty to a sentence agreement of 25 to 45 years for second degree murder and two years to be served consecutively for felony firearm. As a result, the original charge of felony murder will be dismissed at sentencing.  

On case number 21-1219-FC, he pleaded guilty as charged to armed robbery with a sentence agreement of 15 to 30 years, which will run concurrent to the murder case.
Johnson is scheduled for sentencing Tuesday, July 12 at 8:45 a.m.

FMJP is a program that assists Michigan law enforcement officers and prosecutors in solving serious crimes against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons.

On September 1, 2020, it is alleged that Johnson committed an armed robbery of a 26-year-old man, of Detroit, that occurred at a hotel located in the 24130 block of Michigan Avenue in Dearborn.

It is alleged that the man had his personal property taken during the robbery. The defendant was not in custody when he was charged with one count of armed robbery on September 21, 2020.

On September 5, 2020, at a location in the 16800 block of Woodbine in Detroit, it is alleged that Johnson murdered a 39-year-old man, of Detroit, during an armed robbery.  

It is alleged that the victims in both cases were targeted on online dating apps because they were members of the LGBTQ community.  

From September 1, 2020, until December 4, 2020, police officers from Dearborn, Detroit, and Indianapolis conducted an investigation that led to Johnson’s arrest in Indianapolis.   

Through Nessel’s Hate Crimes Unit, cases are investigated and prosecuted in instances where victims are targeted based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity. As part of that initiative, Nessel has offered county prosecutors across the state assistance with their hate crimes prosecutions. The Johnson cases represent the first joint undertaking between Nessel and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy in that effort.