A Newport News jury on Monday convicted 48-year-old Carlos Andrew Johnson Jr. of two counts of first-degree murder in the 2017 disappearance and slayings of a Hampton mother and her baby.
Verdict reached after short deliberations
The 12-member Circuit Court panel deliberated for less than two hours before returning guilty verdicts on both counts. Jurors began deliberations just after 2 p.m. and reached their decision just before 4 p.m., following five days of prosecution evidence and a day of closing arguments earlier Monday.
When the court clerk read the verdict, several family members and friends in the gallery reacted emotionally; some sighed with relief and at least two people wept.
“His grace and mercy carried us through,”
said Ramona Holmes, identified in court as one of the victim’s closest friends. Rhonda Crews, the mother of Keir Johnson, told the court, “I approve of the verdict.” Crews had previously testified that her daughter and granddaughter left her Hampton home on April 30, 2017, for what was expected to be a short outing and never returned.
Investigation spanned nearly eight years
According to court testimony, Keir Johnson, then 34 years old, and her daughter Chloe, 8 months old at the time, were last seen leaving Crews’ home in Hampton on April 30, 2017. Their bodies have not been recovered. Authorities testified that investigators considered Carlos Johnson a suspect early in the probe; he and Keir had been dating since 2015 though they were not related despite sharing a last name.
The investigation stretched nearly eight years and culminated in an indictment and arrest in early 2025. Former Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn, who led the prosecutor’s office when the case opened, told the court the family had endured a long period of uncertainty and suffering.
“The family suffered for a very long time,”
Gwynn said, adding that although the verdict brings clarity on criminal responsibility, the family still faces the pain of not being able to bury their loved ones.
Court evidence and consequences
Jurors heard five days of prosecution evidence. The Commonwealth presented testimony and materials intended to connect Carlos Johnson to the disappearance and slayings, and to show intent for the first-degree murder charges. Defense arguments and any defense evidence presented during the trial were discussed in court during the five-day presentation and in closing arguments, but court records released with the verdict focus on the jury’s swift decision and the prosecution’s case.
Because the victims’ remains have not been located, the conviction rests on the evidence introduced at trial rather than on recovery of the bodies. Family members and the prosecution said in court that the missing remains continue to complicate the family’s ability to find closure.
- Victims: Keir Johnson, 34; daughter Chloe Johnson, 8 months (in 2017)
- Defendant: Carlos Andrew Johnson Jr., 48
- Investigation: Nearly eight years; indictment and arrest in early 2025
- Verdict: Guilty on two counts of first-degree murder; jury deliberated under two hours
| Key date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 30, 2017 | Keir and Chloe Johnson last seen leaving Hampton home |
| Early 2025 | Indictment and arrest of Carlos Andrew Johnson Jr. |
| September 2026 | Circuit Court jury returns guilty verdicts |
Community impact and next steps
The conviction may bring legal closure but not full resolution for family and community members who continue to grieve without recovery of the bodies. Prosecutors and family advocates have stressed that locating the remains remains important for final closure and funeral rites.
Sentencing will be scheduled by the court; details on when that hearing will occur were not part of Monday’s verdict announcement. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office, which prosecuted the case, may provide more information on sentencing dates and any post-trial proceedings, including potential appeals.
For many in Newport News and neighboring Hampton, the case has been a long-running reminder of the strain violent crime places on families and the importance of persistent investigative work. Authorities in both cities cooperated in the years-long investigation that led to the indictment and trial.
As the legal process moves toward sentencing, family members said Monday they felt relief at the jury’s determination and a renewed hope for some measure of peace, even as the absence of the victims’ remains leaves questions unresolved.
