GREAT BEND TWP., SUSQUEHANNA CO., (WOLF) — A Hallstead man accused of killing three people inside a Susquehanna County home allegedly told state troopers, “I killed everyone I love,” after leading officers on a chase while armed with an AR-style rifle, according to newly filed court documents.
Garrett Austin Johnson, 29, is charged with three counts of criminal homicide in connection with Monday evening’s shooting at 1208 Baptist Hill Road in Great Bend Township. He also faces two counts of simple assault, one count of resisting arrest and three counts of recklessly endangering another person. Johnson is being held without bail at the Susquehanna County Prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 20.
Pennsylvania State Police received an emergency call shortly after 6 p.m. Monday from a woman who reported a shirtless man screaming in the middle of Baptist Hill Road. Moments later, another caller reported finding three bodies at a nearby residence and told dispatchers his son, Garrett Johnson, had been seen running down the road carrying an AR-15-style rifle. The caller said he was able to confront his son and take control of the rifle before police arrived.
Troopers responding to the area located Johnson running in the roadway. Police said he ignored commands to surrender, ran toward patrol vehicles and jumped onto the hood of one of them. Investigators allege Johnson resisted arrest, requiring officers to deploy a Taser before emergency medical personnel sedated him. During the struggle, Johnson allegedly told troopers, “I killed everyone I love.”
After Johnson was taken into custody, troopers went to the residence, where they found Phillip Johnson, 53, of Hallstead, and Frank Talarico, 29, of Binghamton, New York, dead from apparent gunshot wounds near the rear porch. A short distance away, police found Kevin Igo, 38, of Susquehanna, also dead from a gunshot wound.
Investigators interviewed Johnson’s mother, Nancy Johnson, who told police her son had taken his vehicle to a local garage for inspection earlier that day. She said Garrett later learned the vehicle could not be inspected because its registration and vehicle identification number did not match.
According to the affidavit, Nancy Johnson said she and her husband, Adam Johnson, drove to retrieve the vehicle. As they returned home, they encountered Garrett standing shirtless in the roadway, acting erratically. She told investigators Garrett punched her father in the face with a closed fist. After she got out of her vehicle, she said Garrett also punched her.
Nancy Johnson told police she later noticed a rifle lying in the roadway. She picked it up, took it back to her home and hid it in the basement because she feared Garrett would return.
Adam Johnson gave investigators a similar account, saying Garrett was screaming incoherently in the roadway and became combative when confronted. He said Garrett struck him in the face before assaulting his mother. After driving to the residence, Adam Johnson said he and his wife discovered the three men dead.
Police attempted to interview Garrett Johnson after his arrest, but according to the affidavit, he invoked his right to an attorney after being advised of his Miranda rights, ending the interview.
State police have not released a motive for the killings, and the investigation remains ongoing.