By Pam Dankins
Mississippi Clarion Ledger
Hinds County Circuit Judge Faye Peterson sentenced former Jackson Police Department officer Marcus Johnson to life in prison for the 2024 murder of Carlos Collins, a registered nurse.
Johnson was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder and 10 years for shooting into a dwelling. Johnson was remanded into the custody of the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department. The sentences will run consecutively.
“This court does not have any sympathy for you,” Peterson said, before delivering the sentencing.
Victim impacts statements were also given by members of Collins’ family during the Friday sentencing. No statements were presented on behalf of Johnson.
On Feb. 12, a Hinds County jury found Johnson, 35, guilty of first-degree murder and shooting into a dwelling in the death of Collins, 25. The jury reached the verdict in roughly one hour.
Johnson was arrested in connection to the killing of Collins on April 9, 2024, at Tapestry Northridge Apartments off Parkway Drive near Old Canton Road in North Jackson.
Authorities said Collins was shot multiple times. An autopsy report stated Collins was shot at least 15 times in various parts of his body and received six “chop” and sharp-like force injuries. Prosecutors said 16 shell casings were found at the scene, and Collins was attacked with an axe.
The defense called Johnson as its first and only witness to testify during the trial. According to Johnson, Collins attacked him first with the axe, but Collins missed. Johnson also said Collins attempted to reach for a gun during an altercation between the two. In response, Johnson said he reacted in fear of his life by axing and shooting Collins. Johnson said he had no plan to harm Collins, asserting his actions were in self-defense.
Authorities arrested Johnson on April 10, 2024, after Johnson led law enforcement agencies on a high-speed chase from Interstate 20 in Mississippi to Louisiana.
Johnson worked for the Jackson Police Department for eight months in 2013. Johnson was separated from JPD pending disciplinary actions leading up to his immediate termination. Johnson resigned shortly before his termination. Collins was a registered nurse from Yazoo City.
After the jury reached a verdict Feb. 12, Ashla Hudson, the mother of Carlos Collins, told reporters it was a “great feeling” to hear the jury’s determination of guilty.
“It’s been almost two years of wanting to hear guilty, and today I got that. I cannot explain how elated I am to hear a guilty verdict,” Hudson said.
Hudson described her son as a gentle giant who loved to help others. Collins worked as a registered Intensive Care Unit nurse in Jackson.
“Carlos was one of the best angels that God sent to this earth to show love, kindness, to show respect, to give, help,” Hudson said. “He was a person that if you had a bad day and he was going through what he was going through, he would pick you up and worry about himself later. That’s the type of person Carlos was.”
Although Collins is no longer physically present on earth, Hudson said her son’s light continues to shine brightly.
“It’s going to be a long, long extensive road to recovery because we don’t have him here to join us on different things in life, children’s birthdays, grandkids’ birthdays,” Hudson said. “We don’t have him, but we will have him in our hearts.”
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected].
