City cops say accused Courtyard killer was present during August murder in the city

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The intersection of Mansion Street and Bement Avenue where Villani was located, dying on the street.

POUGHKEEPSIE – The suspected Courtyard hotel killer has been identified as “being present” at a City of Poughkeepsie homicide that occurred in the early morning hours of August 9,, 2022, on Mansion Street in the city.

Surveillance footage indicates that the victim, Darren Villani, 28, was in his car near the intersection of Mansion and Smith Streets when he was shot.  He drove his dark-colored Mercedes east to the intersection of Mansion Street and Bement Avenue where he got out of the vehicle and called for help before collapsing on the asphalt.

A source told Mid-Hudson News that Villani’s car was actually white but was wrapped in a darker color vinyl vehicle wrap.  Vinyl vehicle wrapping is a technique of applying a thin layer of vinyl to all or parts of a vehicle to change the color or finish of the car.

The white Mercedes, camouflaged under the vinyl wrap is believed to have been involved in a homicide in front of a Poughkeepsie establishment on Easter morning of 2022.  That homicide claimed the life of a 29-year-old man.

City police have been stonewalled by uncooperative witnesses to the murder of  Villani murder but have established that Roy Johnson Jr., 35, the accused Courtyard killer was present when  Villani was murdered.

City of Poughkeepsie Police Captain Rich Wilson said that, during the Villani investigation, city detectives determined that  Johnson, allegedly homeless, was present during the Villani shooting near the intersection of Mansion and Smith Streets at approximately 1:45 a.m.

During their investigation, city detectives discovered that Johnson was wanted on several warrants issued on July 24, 2022, in Fulton County, Georgia.  The warrants were for multiple charges including drug and weapon possession.  This enhanced the investigative efforts that were underway to locate and question Johnson, according to Captain Wilson.

“The identities and locations of witnesses, persons of interest, and suspects have proven challenging and difficult to ascertain, including the location of Roy A. Johnson,” Wilson stated.  Adding that “Multiple sources have indicated that Roy A. Johnson had been eluding police through transient stays at unspecified hotels including hotels in multiple states outside of New York.”

City detectives are still investigating the Villani murder including identifying and interviewing witnesses, evaluating physical evidence collected at the scene and identifying persons of interest and/or suspects.

City of Poughkeepsie police had been trying to locate Johnson since the August murder of Villani but did not encounter him until the Courtyard incident on Sunday, October 2, 2022.

Shortly after Villani was shot, a male walked into City of Poughkeepsie Police headquarters with a gunshot wound.  Police believe that the 44-year-old male was also at the scene but he only provided limited information.

Captain Wilson along with Detective Lieutenant Matt Clark are asking for anyone with information regarding the Villani murder to call the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department’s confidential TIPS LINE at 845-451-7577.

 

 

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