Three Men Charged with First-Degree Murder in January Baltimore Robbery

Three Baltimore men have been charged with first-degree murder after an armed robbery on Jan. 14 left 36-year-old Davon Johnson fatally shot inside a home in the 1700 block of East 25th Street in East Baltimore. Police say the shooting occurred just before 2 p.m., and Johnson was transported to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Detectives identified the suspects as Dasean Williams, 18; Derrick Williams, 19; and Keishonne Moore, 28. Officials said each has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail at the Central Booking Intake Facility. Police say the investigation is ongoing.

The arrests were announced in early February as investigators continued to piece together how an armed robbery inside a residence escalated to a fatal shooting. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Homicide Detectives at 410-396-2100 or submit anonymous tips through Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

For neighbors in East Baltimore and nearby blocks, the case underscores the immediate human cost of violent crime and the longer-term strain on community trust and public safety resources. The 1700 block of East 25th Street is in an area sometimes referenced as Darley Park within the Eastern District, and residents there and on adjacent streets say they want clearer answers about motive, whether occupants or passersby were targeted, and how the city will prevent similar tragedies.

Citywide context shows a mixed picture. City police data indicates Baltimore recorded 10 homicides as of Feb. 2, 2026, compared with 11 at the same point in 2025, and 26 nonfatal shootings so far this year compared with 24 last year. Those short-term figures sit against a larger decline recorded in 2025, when total homicides fell to 133 from 194 in 2024 — a 31 percent drop — and nonfatal shootings dropped to 311 from 412, a decline of nearly 24 percent.

Public health and social equity advocates say those broader reductions do not erase the daily impact of individual losses like Johnson's. Fatal shootings increase trauma for families, burden hospital and emergency services, and deepen existing inequities in neighborhoods that have long faced underinvestment. Community leaders and public health officials emphasize prevention strategies that pair targeted policing with investment in mental health services, youth programs, and violence-interruption initiatives.

As the case moves forward, the next steps for readers will include possible arraignments and court filings and any police updates about motive or additional charges. For now, Baltimore police continue their probe and are asking for help from anyone who may have witnessed the Jan. 14 robbery and shooting.