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However, the charges have officially been dismissed as both Paul and his mother, 52-year-old Margaret “Maggie” Johnson, were murdered on June 7. The two were found shot multiple times at their expansive 1,770-acre hunting estate in Colleton County. It was Paul’s father, Alexander “Alex” Johnson, who discovered their bodies near the family dog kennels.
This situation is tragic and bizarre on its own, but it’s further complicated by the Johnson family’s prominence. Alex Johnson is a well-known attorney whose family has operated a successful law firm for over a century, establishing a stronghold in local personal injury law. Notably, three generations of Johnsons also served as prosecutors in the 14th Judicial Circuit, handling criminal cases across four counties. Simply put, the Johnsons are an incredibly wealthy and influential family.
This background raises concerns about potential favoritism in the investigation. When a powerful man’s son is involved in a fatal boating accident, it’s reasonable to question whether law enforcement might approach the situation with bias. It took authorities two months to file charges against Paul Johnson.
In an ideal scenario, law enforcement would handle such incidents with impartiality, focusing solely on accountability. However, newly released video footage from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office shows a different reality. After a Freedom of Information Act request, nine hours of dashboard camera recordings from deputies were made public, revealing discrepancies between what witnesses reported and what officers documented.
For example, Mallory’s boyfriend, Anthony Cook, explicitly told Officer Austin Pritcher that Paul was driving the boat. Yet, Pritcher noted in his report that Cook “wasn’t sure” who was at the helm. This miscommunication continued when Paul requested to borrow a deputy’s phone, which was overlooked as evidence despite being dropped on the ground. Officer Keener, who had ties to the Johnson family through a past legal case, also failed to secure the phone.
Cook expressed his frustration on the recordings, stating, “That motherf*cker needs to rot in f*cking prison,” referring to Paul, expressing disbelief that his friend would evade consequences. His suspicions were validated when it came to light that Alex Johnson allegedly hindered police from interviewing Paul at the hospital after the incident, and no field sobriety tests were administered at the scene. Later tests revealed Paul’s blood alcohol content to be .286 percent—three times the legal limit.
The recordings also captured the awareness of the Johnson family’s influence, as Cook asked officers, “Do y’all know Alex Johnson?” and received a knowing response, “Oh yeah, I know that name.” Eventually, Paul was charged with three felony counts of boating under the influence, including one for causing death, which carries a potential 25-year prison sentence. Yet, the charges came two months later.
Now, with the violent killings of Paul and Maggie Johnson, speculation runs rampant regarding the identity of the assailant. Many view the timing of Paul’s murder, just as he was awaiting trial, as suspicious. The Johnson family has since offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the individual responsible for their deaths.
Interestingly, the investigation into the Johnson double murder has reopened the case of the 2015 death of 19-year-old Stephen Brown, initially ruled a hit-and-run. The coroner’s findings suggested a gunshot wound to the head, and the Johnson name was mentioned, though nothing materialized from it.
To those aware of the influence wielded by prominent families, this development isn’t surprising. For further insights into home insemination and related topics, check out this resource from the CDC.
Summary
The Johnson family saga is a complex web involving a tragic boat crash that resulted in a fatality, a double murder, and a reopened investigation into a previous death. As the family grapples with their losses, the potential for favoritism in the initial investigation raises questions about justice and accountability.