District Attorney Larry Krasner announced that two defendants were convicted by a jury last week for their roles in the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Ikeem Johnson, a Philadelphia sanitation worker, in 2022.
Nushar Scott, 42, was found guilty of First Degree Murder, Conspiracy, VUFA 6106 and VUFA 6108 for shooting Johnson multiple times throughout his body. Rasheen Trusty, 32, who drove Scott to and from the murder scene, was found guilty of Third Degree Murder and Conspiracy. The jury convicted Scott and Trusty after only several hours of deliberation.
On the morning of Nov. 18, 2022, Johnson was collecting trash at the corner of Rowland and Bleigh avenues when Scott, who was wearing a mask, exited a vehicle and began stalking Johnson for several minutes before opening fire with a .45 caliber firearm and then a .40 caliber weapon. He fired 28 shots in total, 15 of which struck Johnson.
Investigators located DNA on one of the recovered fired cartridge casings that linked Scott to the crime scene, in addition to latex gloves that Scott used during the shooting but disposed of as he fled. Investigators also utilized cell site location data that helped recover SEPTA surveillance video showing Scott traveling to a Northern Liberties apartment to meet Trusty, leaving to commit the crime, and returning to the apartment with his co-conspirator. Investigators also were able to determine through additional cell site location data that Trusty was in the vicinity of the crime scene at the time of the shooting. Scott was arrested in January 2023, and Trusty was arrested in August 2023.
Scott will be sentenced to life incarceration without the possibility of parole by Judge Glenn Bronson in May, and Trusty is scheduled for sentencing in June.
“While this jury conviction cannot bring back Ikeem Johnson, we can rest easier knowing that these two dangerous individuals are off the streets and that this hopefully brings a modicum of closure to his grieving family,” Krasner said. “I also applaud Assistant District Attorney Bob Wainwright, Supervisor of our Homicide and Non-Fatal Shooting Unit, and ADA Gregory Dashko for their excellent prosecution of this case, and the Philadelphia Police Homicide detectives for their extremely thorough and cutting-edge investigation that led to the arrests of Scott and Trusty.”
“This was a terrible murder of a sanitation worker who was killed on the job,” Wainwright said. “I want to thank Johnson’s family for their strength and support throughout this case. I also want to say that the police investigation of this crime, led by Detectives Craig Coulter and Steve Grace, was exemplary, and it enabled us to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“Ikeem was a great dad. He loved being a father,” said Kim Johnson, the victim’s mother. “I also want to say that there are no winners in situations like this. Put the guns down and stop this violence.” ••
