Duane Johnson sentenced for murder of Tricia McCauley

By D.C. Witness Staff - November 21, 2017
Court | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

The man who raped and murdered actress and yoga instructor Tricia McCauley last Christmas was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday.

Tricia McCauley was driving on her way to a Christmas party last year when Duane Johnson entered her vehicle and sexually assaulted her. According to the prosecution, Johnson used McCauley’s scarf to strangle her to death and then tied her legs using the car seatbelt. Her body was hidden between the front and rear seat. Her cause of death was ruled as strangulation, blunt force trauma, and multiple contusions, and her autopsy revealed that Johnson’s DNA was on her body.

Johnson was arrested on Dec. 26 at a CVS pharmacy with her car. According to Johnson, they had consensual sex before McCauley hung herself. He then drove around for hours in her car, while using her credit card because McCauley had told him he could have all of her belongings. Johnson has been held without bond since his arrest.

Johnson pleaded guilty in September to first-degree murder in exchange for a 30-year sentence, pending the judge’s approval. Following his sentence, Judge Hiram Puig-Lugo ordered that he be placed under 30 years of supervision.