Woman in child visitation fight with father of her child calls other man for help just for him to be executed

A woman in Maryland fighting with the father of one of her children called another dad for help — just for that man to be shot in the back of the head.

Timothy Shearn, 27, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Deonaye Johnson, the Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City announced on Tuesday. The defendant was convicted on all counts, which also included two counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, first-degree assault, and wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun.

According to authorities, on Sept. 9, 2025, a woman "flagged down" officers with the Baltimore Police Department and told them that Shearn — the father of one of her children — "had just pointed a firearm at her and threatened her." Officers followed her to the 1000 block of North Arlington Avenue in Baltimore, which is where the woman said the incident happened.

No one was there, the state's attorney's office stated. "The woman then took officers to where she believed the Defendant may have gone, but no one was at that location either," and officers "lost" her and "called her to find out" where she went, the statement added.

"The woman could be heard yelling on the phone to put the gun away," the agency went on. Officers then heard shots, and their technology told them where the shooting was — back on North Arlington Avenue.

Police rushed back to the street and saw Johnson "on the ground, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the back of the head." The woman told officers that after she was initially threatened, she had called Johnson, "who she also has a child with," and he showed up to try to defuse the situation.

"The woman advised that she again saw" Shearn with a gun, and he opened fire, the statement said. Johnson was struck three times, and though emergency personnel rushed him to an area hospital, he was pronounced dead.

The woman told officers she believed Shearn had run back into one of the houses on that block.

Several hours passed with Shearn not surrendering, but police did find "an empty Smith & Wesson gun box" in a house on that block, as well as six 9 mm cartridge cases "near where the victim was shot," and "all were determined to have been fired with the same" gun.

About a month later, Shearn was arrested on the 1800 block of West Franklin Street in Baltimore, just a mile away from where the shooting took place.

"Ultimately, if you choose to settle a personal dispute with a gun in our city, you will be held to account," State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates said in a statement. "Mr. Shearn made the deliberate decision to take Deonaye Johnson's life, leaving a family to grieve a loss that can never be undone."

"Today's conviction cannot restore what was stolen, but it delivers justice and ensures the man responsible faces the consequences of his actions," he added.

Shearn faces life in prison plus 65 years at his sentencing hearing on Oct. 16.

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