Florida deputies solve cold case murder after new DNA evidence and witnesses emerge, police say

A long-stalled execution lawsuit has been solved a decennary aft a Tampa antheral was riddled with bullets extracurricular an flat complex, Florida deputies say.

Saadyar "Sy" Johnson, 36, was changeable and killed connected May 3, 2016, astatine the Del Rio Apartments connected North 50th Street aft deputies were flooded with 911 calls and a ShotSpotter alert for gunfire, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).

Johnson was rushed to the infirmary with aggregate gunshot wounds but aboriginal died. His decease was ruled a homicide, and nary contiguous arrests took place.

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On May 20, 2026, detectives obtained an apprehension warrant and charged Newton with felony first-degree execution and robbery with a firearm. (Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)

Investigators believed Johnson had been targeted during an equipped robbery and aboriginal leads pointed to Marqui Newton, present 34.

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But contempt suspicions, detectives said they did not person capable grounds astatine the clip to complaint him.

That changed aft HCSO’s Cold Case Unit spent years chasing leads, reworking witnesser interviews and utilizing caller forensic testing.

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The Tampa Police Department and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office analyse a fatal shooting successful the Ybor City vicinity of Tampa, Florida, connected Oct. 29, 2023. Two groups reportedly exchanged gunfire aboriginal Sunday greeting successful a engaged country with bars and clubs. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

In 2025, investigators tracked down antecedently chartless witnesses and sat down again with radical they had already interviewed.

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Additional DNA testing, conducted with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, besides helped propulsion the acold lawsuit forward.

On May 20, 2026, detectives obtained a warrant charging Newton with felony first-degree execution and robbery with a firearm.

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Marqui Newton, 34, was charged with first-degree execution and robbery with a firearm successful the 2016 sidesplitting of Saadyar Johnson. (Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)

A time later, Newton was arrested successful Brevard County with assistance from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force.

"No substance however overmuch clip passes, we volition ne'er halt seeking justness for victims and their families," Sheriff Chad Chronister said, calling the apprehension the effect of "years of relentless investigative work."

"We anticipation this apprehension brings immoderate measurement of closure to those who person waited astir a decennary for answers," helium said.

Newton remains successful Brevard County pending transport backmost to Hillsborough County, wherever helium volition look the decade-old execution case.