James Clayton Johnson – Asian, age 27
Sentenced to death in Maricopa County, Arizona
By: jury
Date of crime: 12/7/10
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Johnson stabbed Xiaohong Fu multiple times in her Taiwan Massage Parlor. Fu was nearly decapitated and was found with her hands and feet bound with zip-ties. Johnson’s DNA was found on the zip-ties left at the scene and was matched using DNA stored in the system from his prior felony conviction. Gilbert police arrested Johnson after he robbed a closed Christmas tree lot with a pellet handgun and zip-ties on December 10. Mesa police were informed of the arrest and the potential connection to the homicide. The motive for the homicide is presumed to be robbery, but Johnson refused to disclose.
Sources: The Republic 5/23/16, The Arizona Republic 4/23/11 (2011 WLNR 8244190), The Arizona Republic 12/30/10, The Arizona Republic 12/31/10 (2010 WLNR 25710872)