An inmate has been indicted on second-degree murder charges in connection with the fatal overdose death of a fellow prisoner. On June 25, 2020, Charles Allen, an inmate at Johnston Correctional Center in Smithfield, died following an overdose of heroin and fentanyl, according to an autopsy report. There were no signs of any physical injuries to his body.
The NC SBI investigated Allen’s death and reported their findings to Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle.
A fellow inmate, Thomas Deshawn Johnson, 50, of Rocky Mount was indicted by a Grand Jury on second-degree murder and habitual felony charges. Johnson is currently serving a 27 months prison sentence for larceny and had been located at Johnston Correctional. According to the NC Department of Public Safety website, Johnson is currently being housed at Central Prison in Raleigh.
Johnson has a lengthy arrest recording including a 2012 conviction for obtaining property by false pretense, a 2015 conviction for larceny of a motor vehicle and a 2019 conviction for attempted larceny of a motor vehicle.
