In 1975, Richard Johnson raped his neighbor, strangled her to death, then stabbed her body 7 times.

Gwynne Aarant's friends found her three days later in her Maplewood, Missouri, apartment. 

Shortly afterwards, authorities arrested Johnson, her apartment manager, but freed him due to a lack of evidence. He was also suspected of similar murders but, once again, there wasn’t enough evidence to convict.

Eight months later, Johnson shot my sister and her boyfriend to death in the foothills near Los Angeles. I need your help to keep him in prison.

It was a sunny afternoon when Cathy LaCorte, just 18 years old, and Bob Morton decided to take a hike in the mountains above Arcadia, California, a quiet suburb east of Los Angeles. They were confronted by Johnson, a man they'd never met. He forced them into the back of Bob's VW van, bound their hands, then shot them in the face and head with a .22-caliber rifle. 

For five months, police had no leads until Johnson attacked his wife, who told police that he’d spoken about the murders. This time the evidence was there – fingerprints, shell casings, bragging. He was convicted of two counts of 1st Degree Murder, and sentenced to death.

When the death penalty was overturned, with California’s soft laws Johnson was eligible for parole just five years after the killings. My family and I have opposed his release every time, and on March 16, 2023, we will face him for the ninth time.

California politics have changed, and the state routinely releases murderers. We’re nervous he’ll be freed.

He’s never expressed remorse and still denies some of his proven acts. He’s in his 70’s, but still strong enough to pull a trigger and resume what appears to be a lifelong hatred and murder of women.

Please let the parole board know that a killer like this MUST stay in prison for the rest of his life, and to deny the parole of Richard Johnson (B78960).

Thank you!

Ken LaCorte, on behalf of Cathy, Bob, Gwynne, and others

 

PS: In addition to this petition you can also contact the parole board directly. Refer to Richard Johnson (B78690).

BPH.CorrespondenceUnit@cdcr.ca.gov

Board of Parole Hearings
Post Office Box 4036
Sacramento, CA  95812-4036
Telephone:  916-445-4072

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