Sara Mutschlechner: Arrest In Road-Rage Killing Nets U.S. Marine Eric Jamal Johnson
Sara Mutschlechner was killed by a U.S. Marine, Denton police investigators believe. An arrest in the road-rage killing of the University of North Texas sorority sister was made after a massive manhunt in the region earlier this week. Mutschlechner was shot and killed after an SUV pulled alongside her vehicle and the passengers exchanged words.
Eric Jamal Johnson, 20, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Arizona for the murder of Sara Mutschlechner. Johnson, also known as rapper Santana Sage, was attached to the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, MSN reports. The San Marcos High School graduate was a popular UNT student majoring in radio, television, and film and minoring in theater.
JUST IN: Mugshot from Yuma Co., AZ. of Eric Jamal Johnson, the U.S. Marine arrested for murder of UNT student. pic.twitter.com/cmfHZBAdNG
— Ryan Wood (@RyanWoodDFW) January 5, 2016
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Sara Mutschlechner, 20, was the designated driver for the evening for three friends on New Year’s Eve. The group stopped at a fraternity party for less than an hour and were on their way home when a dark-colored SUV pulled alongside them at a traffic light. Denton police officers told the media that at least some of the individuals in the SUV had also been at the same party.
One of the men inside the SUV, which may or may not have been Eric Jamal Johnson, allegedly told Sara Mutschlechner and her female friend that he and his buddies wanted to “f**k them,” according to a passenger in the victim’s car. The witness statement given to law enforcement officers also said that one of the male passengers told the men in the SUV the he did not “appreciate their comments.” After the initial exchange of words, a black male passenger in the SUV allegedly threatened to beat up the male passenger who spoke up in defense of the vulgar comment directed at Sara and her friend. If the witness statements are accurate, a man in the SUV then displayed his handgun, and Sara attempted to pull away quickly as shot were fired into her vehicle.
Sara Mutschlechner sustained a gunshot wound to the head after two bullets were fired from inside the SUV. Although Eric Jamal Johnson has been arrested in the road-rage killing, additional charges could be forthcoming for the other individuals inside the vehicle. The names of the other black males riding with Johnson have not yet been released to the public.
After the University of North Texas student was wounded, she drove into an electric pole. Another passenger inside the car sustained minor injuries in the crash and was treated and released from the hospital. Mutschlechner was driving two male and one female friend on New Year’s Eve. Johnson and his friends are believed to have been among the musical performers providing entertainment at the fraternity party, according to the Heavy. Police investigators had asked those who attended the gathering to share their cell phone photos and videos in an effort to identify the suspects in the road-rage killing.
U.S. Marine Eric Jamal Johnson arrested in shooting death of Sara Mutschlechner https://t.co/ywTiUOapwx#breakingpic.twitter.com/sknTkHTGZ2
— Heavy.com (@HeavySan) January 5, 2016
https://youtu.be/QNJZMO7VOL4
Sara has been described as a fan of Taekwondo who had earned a black belt in the sport. According to her sorority sisters, she had dreamed of one day opening her own martial arts studio. Also a music lover, Mutschlechner had played the drums in her high school band. She was in her junior year of college at the University of North Texas when she was gunned down on New Year’s Eve.
[Image via Shutterstock.com]
