WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A Luzerne County man will now spend the rest of his life behind bars for his role in a deadly shooting last year.
A jury only needed two hours of deliberations to find 21-year-old Jayshawn Johnson guilty of two counts of first-degree murder.
Back in January of 2021, Johnson shot and killed 32-year-old Damien Thomas and 31-year-old Maurice Chapman outside a lounge on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre.
A third victim was left with severe injuries.
Johnson fled after the shooting and was arrested in Miami a month later.
"I know it was a relief for the family to finally see justice. It was a relief for all of us to get the verdict, our thanks to the jury who saw through the defense and saw this case for what it was," said Luzerne County District Attorney Samuel Sanguedolce.
The Luzerne County district attorney says this was the fastest verdict he's ever seen in a murder case.
"I think that's the fastest verdict I've ever had in a murder case, and I attribute that to the mountain of evidence that the Wilkes-Barre City detectives and Luzerne County detectives uncovered and also the presentation by the prosecution team," explained Sanguedolce.
Johnson faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Sentencing is scheduled for January in Luzerne County.
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