Hitman kills three people, including woman who was working as police informant, feds say
A Maryland man was sentenced to prison after officials say he was involved in the killings of three people in Pennsylvania.
On June 25, 2016, Christopher Van Johnson, 36, traveled to a Pennsylvania barn where three people were killed, according to a July 19 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Johnson was recruited by Kenyatta Corbett and Jerell Adgebesan to kill Wendy Chaney, according to officials.
McClatchy News reached out to Johnson’s attorney but did not immediately hear back.
Chaney was in a relationship with co-defendants Kevin Coles and Torey White and had been helping them with their drug distribution, officials said.
However, they became aware that Chaney was cooperating with state and federal authorities and put out a contract to have her murdered, according to the release.
Johnson, who was a member of a Baltimore-based gang known as the Black Guerilla Family, was hired along with other members to kill Chaney. They were promised $20,000 as payment as well as any drugs and guns they found at the barn, officials said.
“Once there, the killers encountered not only Wendy Chaney but also Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson,” officials said. “The victims had their hands bound behind their backs with zip-ties. Chaney and Cole were shot execution style and their bodies set on fire.”
Jackson charged at Johnson and was shot in the head. He was then set on fire, although he was still alive, officials said. He was later taken to a hospital where he died.
“Chaney was killed to protect the drug trafficking activities,” officials said. “Jackson and Cole were murdered to prevent them from being witnesses to the crimes of violence that were committed at the Jackson property.”
The $20,000 that was promised to Johnson was never found on the property, according to officials.
Johnson was convicted in connection to the killings, as well as on companion robbery, firearms and conspiracy charges. He was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences plus 10, 20 and 30-year terms to run concurrently.
More than 10 others have been charged in the case.
White was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and is appealing his case, according to officials. Coles was convicted of murder for hire, robbery and drug trafficking. He was sentenced to multiple life sentences.
Corbett pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during the robbery, officials said, and she was sentenced to life in prison.
The defense attorney representing Coles declined to provide a comment to McClatchy News. The attorneys for White, Corbett and Adgebesan did not immediately respond to a July 23 request for comment.
This story was originally published July 23, 2024 at 10:32 AM with the headline "Hitman kills three people, including woman who was working as police informant, feds say."
