A Baton Rouge woman has copped to a brazen daylight robbery at a Tennessee Walmart after her accomplice let off a hail of bullets inside the store last summer. Fredricka Johnson, 38, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery on March 15 for the crime that sent shoppers scrambling for cover at a Lenoir City Walmart, District Attorney General Russell Johnson stated, as reported by WATE.
The harrowing incident, which unfolded on June 20, 2023, involved Johnson and her accomplice, 37-year-old Joshua Raby, targeting the bustling supercenter off Hwy 321. After Johnson positioned herself at a cash register, Raby, following her signal, fired eight shots into the air, according to the District Attorney General, WVLT detailed. Amid the chaos, with terrified employees and customers fleeing the scene, Johnson swiped $2,200 from the open register.
Both Johnson and her partner in crime were later arrested back in Louisiana in October 2023 and slapped with armed robbery charges. While Johnson's sentencing is slated for May 21, Raby will appear in court on April 15, as noted by District Attorney Russell Johnson in the information provided.
The initial investigation, which included a painstaking review of surveillance footage, was lauded by Lenoir City Mayor Tony Aikens. "A lot of time has been put in and congratulations to investigators Lynette Ladd, Jason Smith, and Jonathan Yates with the Lenoir City Police Department, they've done an outstanding job in bringing these two individuals to justice," Aikens said, according to a WATE report. The probe also involved video from surrounding businesses leading to the identification of a suspect vehicle lacking a registration tag.
Thankfully, no injuries resulted from the gunfire, although the stress of the situation necessitated a hospital visit for one individual due to chest pains. "We were very fortunate, we only had one person go to the hospital during that event, and that was due to chest pains because of the stress that occurred during that event," Lenoir City Chief of Police Don White told WATE. With justice now imminent for the perpetrators, the town of Lenoir City looks forward to putting this disturbing episode in their rearview mirror.
