Police on Monday arrested a man in connection with a 2017 southeast Charlotte shooting that left a pawn shop manager dead, a breakthrough that pulls a long-unsolved killing back into focus for neighbors and the victim's family.
According to court records reviewed by WBTV, 39-year-old Broderick Maurice Falls was arrested yesterday and booked into the Mecklenburg County jail on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Raymond James Johnson. The warrant for Falls' arrest was issued on June 16 and served six days later, and court documents show he was scheduled to appear in Mecklenburg County court today.
Johnson was shot on Aug. 3, 2017, as he left his job at a pawn shop on the 600 block of Fugate Avenue near Monroe Road, local reporting at the time said. In the years that followed, family members organized vigils and repeatedly pleaded for tips while investigators continued to chase leads, according to WSOC.
Surveillance video captured the attack
During the initial investigation, surveillance footage from the night of the shooting surfaced and showed a white van in the pawn shop parking lot shortly before Johnson's car backed out and hit a utility pole. The station's 2017 coverage reported that shell casings were scattered across the scene and that investigators later located the vehicle, as reported by WBTV.
What's next in court
With a first-degree murder charge now filed, the case will move through Mecklenburg County's criminal court process. Falls' initial appearance was set for June 23, and prosecutors will decide whether to pursue an indictment; the case remains under active investigation.
Johnson's relatives say the arrest marks a long-awaited turn in a case that had largely gone cold. In a 2018 interview, his widow Tomiko Johnson told WSOC, "Do the right thing," urging anyone with information to step forward.
Investigators have not released any possible motive, and authorities are asking anyone with tips to contact Crime Stoppers. Neighbors say the arrest brings a measure of hope after nearly nine years of waiting for answers.
