Johnson had secured employment as a client advocate with Queens Defenders, spoke publicly about second chances, and became a recognizable figure within reform circles. His appearance on Rogan’s podcast only expanded that image.
During the interview, Johnson told listeners, “I’ve been doing bad for so long. I’m going to try to do something good.”
That hopeful message would soon be overshadowed by allegations so gruesome they dominated headlines across New York.
Just weeks after appearing on Rogan’s show, Johnson was arrested and accused of murdering 44-year-old Collin Small inside a Bronx apartment.
According to investigators, officers responding to the apartment on March 5, 2024, discovered Small’s decapitated torso. Authorities later alleged that additional remains—including Small’s head—were recovered inside Johnson’s Harlem apartment, with body parts reportedly stored in a freezer and other containers.
Police also alleged that surveillance footage showed Johnson attempting to leave the building while disguised in an effort to avoid detection.
Investigators further reported that witnesses heard a confrontation before gunshots rang out, followed by the gruesome efforts to conceal the crime.
Johnson was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, criminal possession of a weapon, concealment of a human corpse, and criminal contempt. He has pleaded not guilty, and the criminal case remains pending.
The allegations have renewed scrutiny over the institutions and public figures who previously highlighted Johnson as a model of rehabilitation.
Before his arrest, Johnson had become a familiar face in criminal justice reform efforts. His clemency campaign had attracted support from prominent advocates, including legal academics, while organizations focused on sentencing reform promoted his transformation after prison.
Photos of Johnson with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg also circulated publicly, adding to the perception that he had become a success story for advocates pushing changes to the criminal justice system.
Critics argue that the case has raised broader questions about how reform organizations evaluate and publicly elevate formerly incarcerated individuals before enough time has passed to establish long-term stability.
The discussion has also drawn renewed attention to policies pursued by Bragg’s office. Opponents have repeatedly criticized his prosecutorial approach, pointing to statistics showing that many felony cases were reduced to misdemeanor charges during his tenure. Supporters, however, have argued those decisions reflected efforts to prioritize violent crime while addressing inequities within the justice system.
Rogan revisited the shocking case during a recent conversation with physician Zach Bush while discussing the psychology of sociopaths.
Recalling the incident, Rogan told his audience, “We had a guy in the studio that cut a guy’s head off after the podcast.”
He continued, “He does the podcast and then afterward goes and visits this guy that apparently he had a beef with, kills him, cuts his head off, puts him in a suitcase, like puts a wig on, and tries to escape in the hallway through the cameras.”
The comments highlighted just how surreal the sequence of events remains, especially given Johnson’s public image only weeks earlier.
Following Johnson’s arrest, some advocates within the criminal justice reform movement cautioned against using the allegations to judge the broader cause.
One reform advocate told CNN they hoped the public could “distinguish between Johnson’s alleged crimes and the work he was doing in criminal justice reform.”
For many conservatives, however, the case has become a powerful example of what they believe are the dangers of elevating symbolic success stories before they have truly stood the test of time.
They argue that while redemption is possible for many former offenders, public institutions must exercise caution before presenting individuals as proof that sweeping policy changes are working.
As Johnson awaits trial, the focus remains on the death of Collin Small and the disturbing allegations surrounding one of the most shocking criminal cases to emerge from New York in recent years.
The tragedy continues to generate debate not only about violent crime but also about criminal justice reform, prosecutorial discretion, and whether political movements sometimes become too invested in narratives that later collapse under devastating circumstances.
