Criminal justice reform advocate charged with murder after body parts found in NYC apartment

NEW YORK -- A 48-year-old antheral has been arrested aft constabulary accidental body parts were recovered wrong a New York City flat on Tuesday night.

Sheldon Johnson is charged with murder, manslaughter and transgression possession of a weapon. He's accused of sidesplitting and dismembering a man.

Police accidental Johnson is an ex-convict who works arsenic a transgression justness betterment advocate.

The gruesome find was made successful the Bronx connected Tuesday, erstwhile authorities were called to 979 Summit Avenue successful the Highbridge conception astatine astir 8:25 p.m. for a wellness cheque of an occupant successful Apartment 6G.

Orlando Medina, the gathering superintendent, says a tenant called him astir 1 a.m.

"Someone was pleading for their life. She said she heard 2 gunshots, idiosyncratic said 'please don't termination maine I got family,' thing similar that and 2 much gunshots beauteous quickly," Medina said.

A torso and arms were recovered wrong the apartment.

Detectives obtained a hunt warrant Wednesday nighttime for Johnson's Harlem flat connected Fifth Avenue wherever they recovered the victim's legs and caput successful a freezer.

The victim, aboriginal identified arsenic 44-year-old Collin Small, had been changeable erstwhile successful the head.

The Medical Examiner's Office told detectives slug fragments were recovered successful the victim's head, starring to the execution charge.

Concrete was recovered successful the suspect's car and investigators besides recovered a Tyvek suit, officials say.

Johnson has antecedently served astir 25 years down bars for attempted execution and different charges.

He appeared connected Joe Rogan's podcast past period wherever helium talked astir however helium turned his beingness around.

"It was astatine that infinitesimal that I truly said - I person to alteration my beingness - I person to alteration my beingness - I conscionable can't bash this," Johnson said connected the podcast. "I had a wife, I had kids, I had household still, my lad was increasing up - helium was proceeding stories of my alleged notoriety - I conscionable didn't privation to beryllium that dad."

Johnson went connected to speech astir being a erstwhile pack subordinate and erstwhile helium was released from prison, helium says helium chose to locomotion distant from that life.

At Johnson's arraignment connected Thursday night, his supporters filled the courtroom.

One protagonist wore a overgarment speechmaking "specializing successful wrongful condemnation arrests."

The enforcement manager of his employer, the Queens Defenders, was besides astatine court. They each declined comment.

The justice remanded Johnson, and helium is owed backmost successful tribunal connected Monday.