Two men convicted in 2022 murder of Philadelphia sanitation worker
Nushar Scott and Rasheen Trusty were convicted for their roles in the killing of Ikeem Johnson in November 2022.
Two men have been found guilty in the murder of a Philadelphia sanitation worker who was shot to death while he was on the job in the city’s Northeast in 2022.
Jurors last week convicted Nushar Scott, 42, of first-degree murder, firearms violations, and related offenses in connection with the shooting death of Ikeem Johnson. Rasheen Trusty, 32, who drove Scott to and from the murder scene, was convicted of third-degree murder and related offenses. Both men were also convicted of conspiracy.
“There’s no winners in a courtroom where one person is held accountable and staying in jail for the rest of his life, and another person is lost,” District Attorney Larry Krasner said at a Tuesday news conference announcing the convictions. “But there is accountability, there is at least a little sliver of justice, there is some closure, and I hope that we’ve been able to deliver that with this conviction.”
The killing unfolded the morning of Nov. 18, 2022, on the corner of Bleigh and Rowland Avenues near Lincoln High School, as Johnson, a city employee of about five years, was collecting trash. Scott, officials said, exited a vehicle driven by Trusty, and stalked Johnson briefly before opening fire with a .45-caliber firearm, and then a .40-caliber weapon. Scott fired 28 shots, 15 of which struck Johnson throughout his body, killing him.
Johnson, authorities said in 2022, was in the passenger seat of a trash truck at the time of his killing. The driver of the truck was not injured, but Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The fact is that Ikeem Johnson was a sanitation worker, and he was literally doing his job,” Assistant District Attorney Robert Wainwright said Tuesday. “This is just a terrible act perpetrated by the defendants.”
Investigators found DNA on a fired cartridge casing at the scene, as well as on latex gloves used during the shooting that linked Scott to the murder. An analysis of cell phone data showed Trusty in the area of the killing when it occurred, and police recovered surveillance video showing the pair traveling to and from an apartment in Northern Liberties, the district attorney’s office said.
Police arrested Scott in January 2023. Trusty’s arrest came in August 2023.
Police had identified the men as suspects in December 2022, offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to their arrests. Authorities said that the advertised award was higher than usual due to the killing’s close proximity to a school.
A jury convicted Scott and Trusty after “several hours of deliberation,” the district attorney’s office said. Scott is slated to be sentenced to life in prison without parole in May, while a sentencing hearing for Trusty is scheduled for June.
Scott is also facing charges in another forthcoming murder trial, Krasner said Tuesday without providing additional details. Proceedings in the case are slated to begin in May, court documents indicated.
Johnson’s mother, Kim Johnson, described the slain city worker Tuesday as a hard worker, good father, and role model to young boys in his community. Johnson’s sister, Ikeya Johnson, remembered her brother for his vibrant smile and how he could light up a room with his presence.
“We miss him and know that he’s been brought justice,” Johnson’s sister said. “He can finally rest fully.”