An Orange County grand jury has formally indicted 18-year-old Tenaje Johnson on multiple charges, including First Degree Murder (with a Firearm), in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred during a drug transaction. The indictment includes Attempted Robbery (with a Firearm), Shooting at, within, or into an Occupied Vehicle, and Possession of a Firearm by a Minor, according to a release from the State Attorney's Office.
The investigation by the Orlando Police Department, which began on July 14, revealed that the victim, 19-year-old Christopher Dumesle, had been shot and killed while sitting in a vehicle on the 1300 block of Lawne Boulevard. It is alleged that Dumesle had been there to engage in a drug deal when he was met with an attempted robbery by two suspects, a confrontation that ultimately led to him being fatally shot. Johnson, who was still a minor at the time of the homicide, will now be tried to rapidly push forward as an adult due to the severity of the charges.
Details of the grand jury's decision, which took place on September 25, have not been fully disclosed. Still, the State Attorney's Office has highlighted that sufficient evidence was presented to secure the indictment against Johnson. The family of Christopher Dumesle and the community are left to grapple with the tragic and senseless loss of life as this case moves through the court system. The latest updates on court hearings can be found on the Orange County Clerk of Court’s website.
