On December 9, 2023, a shocking murder-suicide took place in a DeKalb County, Georgia apartment, claiming the lives of five individuals, including two young children.
The victims were identified as 43-year-old Mollian Johnson, her 25-year-old daughter-in-law, Kaylyn Samuel, and Samuel’s children—five-year-old Jedorah Powell and one-year-old Jontavious Powell. The perpetrator, 42-year-old Jonathan Darden, who was in a relationship with Johnson, is believed to have fatally shot the family before turning the gun on himself.
The grim discovery was made by Johnson’s daughter, Chanel Carter, who had requested a welfare check after being unable to contact her mother. Carter, struggling with the loss of her mother and sister-in-law, reflected on the pain of never being able to share moments of laughter or affection with them again. She revealed that Darden had sinister intentions, initially planning to wait for Christmas dinner to carry out the act when all of her mother’s children would be present. However, he acted earlier, possibly due to the imminent arrival of Johnson’s sons.
Carter told FOX 5 Atlanta that the last time she saw her mother was in the hospital a week prior, and she suspected something was wrong when her mother failed to respond to her messages in the days that followed. Growing increasingly concerned, she accompanied police to the wellness check and witnessed the devastating scene, learning the family had been dead for five days.
The family resided together at The Vineyards at Flat Shoals Apartments, where their bodies were found around 7:30 p.m. Detectives meticulously processed the crime scene for approximately five hours. Neighbors, who had not noticed any unusual disturbances before the incident, were shocked, especially given the apartment’s festive Christmas decorations.
This tragedy has left surviving family members devastated. Jontae Powell, the father of the two children, expressed his profound loss, stating, “Everything is gone,” highlighting the depth of his grief over losing his mother, his children, and their mother in one horrific event.
According to a local media outlet, Mollian Johnson had told her daughter, Chanel Carter, that she was planning to leave Jonathan Darden. Neighbors also recalled frequent disturbances tied to Darden, including loud arguments and disruptive behavior from the apartment.
Despite these alarming signs, no formal charges were ever brought against him. This tragedy highlights the need for better awareness and stronger support systems to address the warning signs of domestic violence and prevent such devastating outcomes.
In the wake of this tragedy, the family, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is working to bring their loved ones back to Wisconsin for proper burial. They’ve set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the significant funeral and transportation costs. As of December 10, 2024, the campaign has raised over $15,000. The page, created by a close family member, expresses the deep sorrow and financial burden they’re facing, emphasizing the importance of giving the victims a respectful farewell and seeking community support to manage the expenses involved.