Third Defendant Convicted for Role in Double Homicide

Prosecutors in DA Charme Allen’s Major Crimes Unit obtained convictions against a third co-defendant for his involvement in a marijuana robbery that resulted in a double homicide. Kristopher Johnson, 25, was convicted of two counts of Facilitation of Felony Murder, two counts of Aggravated Robbery, Tampering with Evidence, Aggravated Burglary, and Aggravated Assault. Judge Steve Sword set the case for sentencing on October 8. In a previous trial, co-defendant Rico Dion Cook, 19, was convicted of two counts of First Degree Murder and Attempted Second Degree Murder and sentenced to life in prison plus seventeen years. A third co-defendant, Deon Na’Quan Nolbert, 21, pled guilty to Facilitation of First Degree Murder and received a sentence of twenty years in prison.

Johnson was prosecuted in a four-day trial this week by Assistant District Attorneys Nate Ogle and Heather Good. Cook was prosecuted in a trial in 2019 by Assistant District Attorneys Kevin Allen and Hector Sanchez. In each trial, prosecutors explained to the jury that on June 22, 2017, Deon Nolbert set up a deal to purchase marijuana from the victims. Before the deal took place, Rico Cook told Nolbert and Johnson that he was going to rob the victims of their marijuana. Johnson provided Cook with a Glock handgun to use in the robbery. When the victims showed up for the marijuana deal, Cook entered their vehicle and started shooting. Two victims were killed, and one survived despite being shot twice in the head. After the murder, Cook took the marijuana and Glock back to Johnson. Johnson then hid the marijuana and gun in another apartment before being taken into custody by the Knoxville Police Department.

Facilitation of First Degree Murder is a Class A felony that carries a punishment between twenty-five and forty years in prison. At sentencing, prosecutors will seek an enhanced punishment and consecutive sentences due to Johnson’s criminal history and affiliation with the Crips criminal street gang.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.