Fatal Shooting Ends In Prison Sentence: Union County Prosecutor

UNION COUNTY, NJ — A Linden man was sentenced to 14 years in state prison in connection with the shooting and killing of 38-year-old Darren Q. McKoy two years ago, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced Friday.

Dion M. Johnson, 40, received the sentence on Friday, Oct. 7, according to prosecutors. He previously pled guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter on Aug. 1 in exchange for the 14-year sentence, which requires him to serve at least 85 percent of the term before the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.

Linden Police officers found McKoy outside of his home on the 1200 block of Essex Avenue shortly after 12:45 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020 having sustained serious injuries from multiple gunshot wounds, prosecutors said.

McKoy was then rushed to Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth where he pronounced dead shortly after 1:30 p.m., prosectors said.

An obituary for McKoy says he was a music lover and the father of two children and three step-children.

An investigation involving the Union County Homicide Task Force, Linden Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit and Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit resulted in Johnson being identified as the suspect in the case.

In Dec. of 2020, members of the U.S. Marshals Service took Johnson into custody in Atlanta, Georgia. He was then charged with first-degree murder and two second-degree weapons offenses in connection with the death of McKoy.

Read more: Suspect In Union County Homicide Arrested In Georgia

“We are grateful for the collaboration from all law enforcement agencies who assisted our office in bringing this suspect to justice,” said Union County Prosecutor Daniel. “I hope this sentencing can bring some relief to all of those mourning Mr. McKoy.”