DEARBORN (WWJ) -- A man has pleaded guilty to murder charges in connection with his alleged attacks on two gay men in Metro Detroit.
Officials say Diabolique Paris Johnson, of Indianapolis, Indiana, used a dating app to target LGBT victims.
The 35-year-old is accused of robbing a 26-year-old Detroit man, while armed, at the Red Roof Inn on the 24100 block of Michigan Avenue in Dearborn on Sept. 1, 2020.
Just four days later, Johnson is also accused of murdering Joshua J. Smelser, 39, during another armed robbery in the 16800 block of Woodbine Street in Detroit.
According to police, Johnson had Smelser’s backpack, which contained his laptop, credit cards and phone.
When charged with the first count of armed robbery on Sept. 21, 2020, Johnson was not in custody. Police officers from Detroit, Dearborn and Indianapolis arrested him on Dec. 4, 2020 in Indianapolis after an investigation.
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On Monday, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced that Johnson pleaded guilty to a sentence agreement of 25 to 45 years for second-degree murder and two years to be served consecutively for felony firearm.
The original felony murder charge was dismissed as part of the agreement.
Johnson also pleaded guilty as charged to armed robbery, with a sentence agreement of 15-30 years to run concurrently with the murder charge, officials said.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced at 8:45 a.m. July 12.
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