By: Jeff Devine
DALE COUNTY—It is a gruesome and terrifying story. A man recently released from a Florida prison has pleaded guilty to the killing of a Dale County grandmother.
According to court documents, James A. Johnson Jr. entered a guilty plea to capital murder on Tuesday morning and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His plea, made before Dale County Circuit Judge William Filmore, avoids a jury trial and Judge Filmore accepted his guilty plea agreement between prosecutors and handed down the sentence of life without parole.
Authorities discovered the body of 57-year-old Sherry Clark during a welfare check at her home. Investigators said she had also been sexually assaulted.
Records show that Johnson had been released from a Florida prison just a week before Clark’s death and had since moved to the Midland City area.
“Sherry was a kind, loving mother, sister, daughter, and grandmother who loved her family very much,” said Shelley Linderman, executive director of Wiregrass Angel House, shortly after the murder.
It is unclear whether Johnson was under supervision from Pardons and Paroles, but the Dale County Chronicle has reached out for additional information. We will provide an update when we hear back from officials.
