A jury convicted Merle Johnson, 53, on all six counts related to the August 2025 rape and sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl. The jury recommended a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

In recent weeks, several young people have been booked into the Juvenile Detention Center in connection with homicide investigations, including an 11-year-old, a 16-year- old and a 17-year-old.