SMITHFIELD – A Johnston County man convicted in 1995 of first degree murder has been granted parole. The N.C. Post Release Supervision and Parole Commission investigated the case of Timothy Leonard Johnson, who is now 56 years-old, before approving his release.
On May 18, 1995, Johnson was convicted in Johnston County Superior Court for the August 1, 1994 shooting death of Willie Gene Spence in the Bell Hope Trailer Park near Smithfield.
According to court records, Johnson and Spence were involved in a confrontation outside the victim’s car. The victim started to drive away. Johnson fired once into the windshield of the car, then shot a second time into the open driver’s side window. The car rolled back and came to rest against a mobile home causing minimal damage.
Johnston County deputy James McIver was the first to arrive on the scene. He found Spence deceased in his vehicle. Deputy McIver also discovered a “fake gun” in the waistband of Spencer’s pants but the weapon had not been recently fired.
During the 1995 trial, Johnson testified in his own defense. He claimed Spence pointed a gun at him and told Johnson to go back inside his home. Johnson claimed another man walked up to him and handed him a gun saying he would need it. Johnson claimed he and Spence pointed their weapons at one another and Johnson fired striking the victim’s car. Fearing he was still going to be shot, Johnson said he fired a second shot as he ran past the victim’s car.
Dr. Ricky Thompson with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner testified he performed the autopsy and determined Spence was shot in the head and chest. The gunshot to the chest, fired from a gun estimated 3-4 feet away, was the fatal wound.
Johnson was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
Shortly after the guilty verdict, attorneys for Timothy Johnson appealed the decision arguing testimony from the Medical Examiner should not have been allowed, and further claimed the court erred by not allowing the jury to properly receive self-defense instructions before deliberating on a verdict. The N.C. Supreme Court found there were no errors during the trial and upheld the conviction.
The N.C. Post Release Supervision and Parole Commission recently announced Timothy Johnson would be paroled. His projected release date is February 2, 2026.
The state’s current sentencing law, Structured Sentencing, eliminates parole for crimes committed on or after October 1, 1994. However, the Commission has the responsibility of paroling offenders who were sentenced under previous sentencing guidelines.
According to the NC Department of Public Safety website, Johnson was last reported in minimum custody at Hyde Correctional.
The Lord forgives. I pray he will use this gift as a chance to share his testimony and lead others, especially our youth to Christ. 🙂
God bless you brother 🙏🏽
Spencer had what looked like a gun on him, and if he pointed it at Johnson, that’s a textbook self-defense case. If those are the true facts of the case, despite what the court said, then I’m glad he’s out and he deserves restitution.
A sentence of life in prison should mean LIFE in prison. The victim will never get his life back, so the murderer should never get his back either. The only way he should be released from prison is in a body bag, just like his victim was carried from the crime scene.
What u said was some bulls**t!
Meh. Cold blooded murderer and I doubt he deserves parole but hope he makes the most of it.
We leave the judgment up to God. To God be the Glory 🙌🙏🏽 Want he do it!!!!!!!!