In a surprising turn of events, a recent guest on The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast named Sheldon Johnson Jr. finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation.
The 48-year-old is renowned as both a high-profile anti-violence activist and an ex-con. He now faces charges of murder, manslaughter, and illegal weapon possession. This surprising revelation comes less than a month after Johnson Jr.’s appearance on the widely popular podcast.
Sheldon Johnson Jr. was brought in for questioning by police after reports of gunshots that led them to a Bronx apartment where Colin Small’s body was discovered.
The dismembered corpse of Colin Small was discovered, with his decapitated head bearing a bullet wound. Various body parts, including severed arms, legs, and a foot, were found stored in a freezer within the premises.
Security video captured a suspect, possibly Johnson Jr. He was entering and exiting the building’s elevator while donning several disguises. Johnson Jr. vehemently declared his innocence to reporters while being escorted from the 44th Precinct stationhouse to appear in Bronx Criminal Court.
Prior to his most recent arrest, Johnson Jr. was convicted of robbery in 1997 while he was in his early 20s and received a 50-year term in an upstate prison. After 25 years, he was freed in May and recruited by Queens Defender as a client advocate.
Johnson Jr. spoke about his criminal history and moving forward in an episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast titled ‘Sentenced to 50 Years Sheldon Johnson Decided to Turn His Life Around.’Â The episode also featured his lawyer, who labeled Johnson Jr. a “miracle” and argued that he had been unjustly sentenced for the prior robbery.
Despite the optimism portrayed in the podcast episode, viewers on YouTube now witness the stark contrast as Johnson Jr. faces charges for a much graver crime. Comments reflect disappointment and skepticism about criminal justice reform, with some suggesting that Johnson Jr. hadn’t truly reformed during his time in prison.
One lamented: “25 years locked up. Shouldn’t have been let out in the first place. I saw [an] article that stated it stemmed from a feud from his time in prison.”
Another said: “It’s a huge blow for criminal justice reform because folks will say he seemed fine and improved. Yet for this to happen how can we trust others. Sad day for future people trying to better themselves because of this person’s actions assuming he’s convicted.”