The suspect in the 2024 stabbing death of a Carolina Beach man was found guilty of first-degree murder, a district attorney’s office news release said.
After four days of deliberations and testimony, a New Hanover County jury found James Arthur Johnson, 43, of Laurinburg, guilty on Sept. 9, according to the district attorney’s office. He is to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Johnson and a woman leaving the Carolina Beach boardwalk were joined by Dakota Capes in the early hours of July 4, 2024, and walking her home, the news release said.
“Once back at the apartment, testimony showed that the group consumed alcohol and drugs while listening to music,” the news release stated. “The woman testified that there was no hostility
amongst the three of them until she saw Johnson holding a large knife and staring at Capes. She stated that an unarmed Capes urged Johnson not to do anything stupid with (the) knife before she fled the apartment in fear.”
Capes’ lifeless body was found in the apartment doorway with more than 60 stab wounds, per the news release.
Officers apprehending Capes saw he was covered in blood that DNA testing showed belonged to Capes, the district attorney’s office said.
Detectives found two knives covered in Capes’ blood and one that had Johnson’s palm prints on the handle, the news release said.
In interviews with detectives, Johnson denied being at the crime scene and claimed he had not killed anyone. He admitted during the trial that he had killed Capes, but testified that he acted in self-defense and was too impaired to be convicted of first-degree murder, the news release said.
Bob Liepa is the city of Wilmington and public safety reporter for the StarNews. You can reach him at RLiepa@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Man found guilty of murder in Carolina Beach stabbing
