A shocking murder-suicide occurred on December 9, 2024, in an apartment in DeKalb County, Georgia, resulting in the death of five people, including two children.
The victims were identified as 43-year-old Mollian Johnson, her 25-year-old daughter-in-law, Kaylyn Samuel, and Samuel’s children, Jedorah Powell, five years old, and Jontavious Powell, one. The assailant, 42-year-old Jonathan Darden, who was reportedly in a relationship with Johnson, is suspected to have shot the family before taking his own life.
Chanel Carter, Johnson’s daughter, requested a welfare check after failing to reach her mother. She revealed that the assailant, Darden, initially planned to carry out the murders during Christmas dinner when all of Johnson’s children would be present. However, he acted sooner, potentially due to the anticipated arrival of Johnson’s sons. Carter expressed her agony over the loss of her mother and sister-in-law, lamenting the moments of joy and warmth she would never experience with them again.
Carter last saw her mother at the hospital a week before the incident. She informed FOX 5 Atlanta that her concern grew when her mother did not respond to her messages. Accompanied by police during the wellness check, Carter discovered the horrific scene, learning that the family had been dead for five days.
The family lived in The Vineyards at Flat Shoals Apartments, where their bodies were discovered around 7:30 p.m. Investigators spent about five hours examining the crime scene. Neighbors, who had not reported any unusual activity prior to the incident, were taken aback, especially in light of the apartment’s cheerful Christmas decorations.
The event has left surviving family members in profound sorrow. Jontae Powell, the father of the two young children, stated, “Everything is gone,” underlining the extent of his grief over the loss of his mother, his children, and their mother in one dreadful occurrence.
According to local reports, Mollian Johnson had told her daughter, Chanel Carter, that she intended to leave Jonathan Darden. Furthermore, neighbors reported regular disturbances associated with Darden, including loud arguments and disruptive behavior from the apartment.
Despite these worrying signs, Darden was never formally charged. The incident underscores the importance of increased awareness and enhanced support mechanisms to identify domestic violence signs and prevent such terrible outcomes.
In response to this tragedy, the family, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is striving to bring their loved ones back to Wisconsin for proper burial. They’ve established a GoFundMe campaign to help meet the substantial funeral and transportation expenses. By December 10, 2024, the campaign had raised over $15,000. The page, set up by a close family member, conveys the immense grief and financial burden they’re experiencing, stressing the need to provide the victims a dignified send-off and the importance of community support to handle the costs involved.
