Family Of NYC Domestic Violence Victim Says Apartment Security Could’ve Done More To Prevent Her Murder

The family of a young domestic violence victim is questioning why the staff at her Brooklyn apartment didn’t do more to protect her. 

Police found Dasia Johnson, 22, dismembered and stuffed into two suitcases inside her apartment on Wednesday afternoon after her family had requested a wellness check.

Johnson’s aunt, who declined to identify herself, spoke to the New York Post by phone, detailing the abuse her niece experienced at the hands of her boyfriend. Witnesses saw her boyfriend beating her in the hallways, and police had been called to the location on multiple occasions. 

Johnson had an active restraining order against her boyfriend when she was murdered. He had previously been arrested in March for coming to her apartment.

She questions why the building’s security guards would allow the suspect into the Linwood Street apartment building. “They dropped the ball here,” the aunt told the Post.

“They know their tenants. They opened the door for him,” she continued. “She didn’t have no other boyfriend. They didn’t do enough. They could have prevented him from coming in there….”

The victim’s aunt requested a wellness check after the young woman hadn’t been seen for a week and her phone had been turned off. Upon arrival, security guards discovered Johnson’s boyfriend and another man at the apartment. The two men refused entry to the apartment, and security left to call the police, giving the suspects time to flee.

Upon arrival, police found Johnson’s body. Johnson’s boyfriend is considered a person of interest but has not been arrested. NYPD is actively searching for him. Johnson’s aunt calls for the police to release the boyfriend’s picture to aid in his capture. 

Dasia Johnson’s aunt described her as happy and working toward getting her life back on track. She said she tried to leave the boyfriend but took advantage of her kindness.

“This is really hard. She was a victim. She was full of life,” the aunt said. “I was trying to help her. I tried to step in. I pretty much raised her most of her life. I heard of one incident [between them], and I told her, ‘This is not love. It’s not going to get any better. It will only get worse.’”