Matthew Steven Johnson

Born as one of two twins into a family including 9 other siblings, Johnson grew up in Hartford's Blue Hills and Asylum Hill neighborhoods. At age 12, he lost sight in one of his eyes when he was shot with a pellet gun. He was described as a very sweet child, but whom exhibited immature behavior such as sucking his thumb when he was asked to do something he did not want to do. His kindergarten teacher later stated to a psychologist that he was highly aggressive and unable to cope with denial.[3]

By the time he was a teenager, he had been admitted to the Connecticut Children's Medical Center and repeatedly evaluated. Although he was noted for doing well in music and physical education, Johnson had a limited academic ability due to his intellectual disability and also suffered from seizures, which had to be medicated. His recorded IQ is 69.[3]

At age 17, Johnson had very little contact with his father, but still visited his family on the weekends. He had also grown tired of evaluations and stopped taking his medication, as he claimed it made him feel dizzy.[3] When he reached adulthood in 1980, Johnson grew depressed and began mixing drugs and alcohol to calm himself. At one point, however, he managed to seek help at The Institute of Living in Hartford, earning his high school equivalency diploma before beginning work as a laborer.[4]

At 19 years of age, while he living in a home for troubled youth, Johnson tried to kill a security guard during an attempted robbery inside Asylum Hill's Cathedral of St. Joseph. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for this attack, but only served 4 and was then released. Before that, in May 1980, he robbed and assaulted a pregnant woman.[4] In 1988, Johnson forcefully restrained a woman on the street, and about two years later, he raped and beat another woman. In both instances, he was caught because the women managed to identify him.[3]

After his eventual release from prison and now a homeless drifter, Johnson began luring drug-addicted prostitutes to secluded areas around Hartford. After having sex with them, he would then strangle before repeatedly stomping his victims, crushing their necks and skulls in the process. His victims were:[3]

• Aida Quinones (33) - killed in April 2000
• Rosali Jimenez (33) - killed in August 2000
• Alesia Ford (37) - killed in July 2001

Johnson is also suspected, but not charged in, the deaths of another two women who died in a similar fashion:[3]

• LaDawn Roberts (28) - found dead on a back porch in Garden Street, June 1999
• Rosalind A. Casey (32) - found dead on Sigourney Street, June 2000