Dasia Johnson murder: Dismembered woman's benefits card was being used by alleged ex's 'other girlfriend'
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK CITY: Dasia Johnson, a 22-year-old woman was killed and chopped into pieces and stuffed in a suitcase inside her Brooklyn apartment on September 21, 2022. The grisly death has shocking the vicinity, with investigators even releasing the images of five women and one man who they said are “being wanted as witnesses in connection” with the incident. All six are reported to have been inside Johnson’s Brooklyn apartment at the time of her death.
Police also revealed that an ex-boyfriend of Johnson is being considered a 'person of interest' in the murder. The NY Post on Sunday, October 2, revealed that Justin Williams, who was reportedly the aspiring teacher's ex had been on the NYPD’s radar since the murder came to light and had been taken into custody. The police hopes the witnesses can help build the case against Williams. Now NY Daily News in an exclusive report claimed that her allegedly abusive boyfriend’s 'other girlfriend' has been using her Electronic benefit transfer card (EBT card) since then. This detail was made public in a Long Island courtroom on Oct 3 where, Williams, 23, appeared to face charges for bail jumping, grand larceny and felony assault unrelated to Johnson’s slaying. Williams is just a 'person of interest' in the murder and has not been charged for anything in relation to this incident.
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Williams' 'other girlfriend' is also the mother of his children. Meanwhile, details of what she bought with the benefits card were not made public in court. It is not yet clear if the other girlfriend is associated with Johnson's death or will be arrested for this case. Though the identity of Williams was not initially released to the public by the court, NY Daily News shared that later it was revealed by Nassau County Assistant District Attorney Brittany Gurrieri revealed in court that Williams is a person of interest in the dismemberment of Johnson
Williams' mother says, “I already know about all the charges, and I don’t want to know any more about what happened. They’ve already made him a monster. My attorney told me not to say anything." Williams remained free after the gruesome discovery and is only in custody because of the Long Island charges, authorities said.
Johnson's neighbor Stephanie Harris spoke to New York Daily News detailed alleged instances of Williams being an abusive boyfriend: “He broke her ribs, her legs, a couple of months ago. She came back, she was on crutches. And he broke her apartment down, broke the TVs in her apartment. And I cried to her, like ‘Listen, I don’t want to see you on the news.’" Harris shared that he added, “He always said, ‘The only way you get out is when your mother’s gonna bury you, bi**h." Johnson had an active restraining order against Williams at the time of her death.
Williams, in fact, had been arrested in March for violating the restraining order after he went to Johnson's Linwood Street apartment to pick up some of his belongings, stated sources to the Post. Then on Sept 21 when Johnson's relatives asked building security guards to conduct a wellness check on her the staff was at first turned away by two men, one of them believed to be her former boyfriend Williams police said. When the workers returned to the home, they found the gruesome sight and alerted the cops.
Williams was in court on Oct 3 on charges of stealing nearly $1,200 worth of merchandise from a Westbury Walgreens in June 2020. It also included charges of beating up a 66-year-old man who had gotten into an argument with a girlfriend of his in a Freeport laundromat in June 2021. Among other charges against him he was also indicted for bail jumping after missing a court date on April 25. He pleaded not guilty on Oct 3 and was ordered held on $125,000 bail for the laundromat assault and $25,000 bail for the Walgreens grand larceny.