In Wentzville, Missouri, Darryl Tyson Jr. entered an Alford plea to three counts of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree domestic assault in the Oct. 31, 2024, killing of BreAnna Johnson and her unborn twins. Prosecutors say an autopsy found Johnson was shot five times in the back, contradicting Tyson’s claim he acted in self-defense. Tyson received concurrent sentences totaling 30 years and must serve 85% of the term before parole eligibility. Johnson’s family is now pushing for a proposed “BreAnna’s Law” registry for repeat domestic violence offenders.
Man Enters Alford Plea After Pregnant Mother Of Two And Her Unborn Twins Are Killed
Credit: National Gun Violence Memorial; Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of St. Charles County, Missouri
Darryl Tyson Jr., 41, entered an Alford plea on June 2 to three counts of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree domestic assault in the Oct. 31, 2024, deaths of BreAnna Johnson, 28, and her unborn twins.
Under an Alford plea, a defendant does not expressly admit guilt but acknowledges that prosecutors likely have enough evidence to obtain a conviction. Prosecutors say autopsy evidence — including five gunshot wounds to Johnson’s back and trajectories indicating bullets traveled upward — undercut Tyson’s initial claim that he shot her in self-defense.
Darryl Tyson Jr.Credit: Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of St. Charles County, Missouri
Key Case Details
Johnson, who was about four months pregnant, was found fatally shot inside her Wentzville home. Her two young sons, then about 6 months and 17 months old, were in the home at the time but were not physically injured. Tyson was arrested the same day on a separate domestic violence charge related to an earlier incident that day; court documents allege he threw a phone that struck Johnson in the head.
Prosecutors originally charged Tyson with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Johnson and her unborn twins. He ultimately pleaded to three counts of second-degree murder — one for Johnson and one for each unborn child — plus one count of second-degree domestic assault.
BreAnna JohnsonCredit: National Gun Violence Memorial
“Those bullets were traveling upwards, which tells us that she was falling down or on the ground at the time that she received some of those shots,” said St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph McCulloch, noting that the physical evidence did not support Tyson’s self-defense claim.
Tyson’s attorney, Raphael Morris, said autopsy findings changed the defense strategy and that, after reviewing discovery and evidence, his client chose to enter the plea.
Sentence And Family Response
Tyson was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder convictions and seven years for the assault conviction; the sentences run concurrently. Under Missouri law he must serve 85% of the sentence — more than 25 years — before becoming eligible for parole.
BreAnna JohnsonCredit: National Gun Violence Memorial
Johnson’s mother, Janette Perry, attended the hearing and said she wanted to see and hear the outcome in person. The family is now advocating for a proposed measure called “BreAnna’s Law,” which would create a public registry for repeat domestic violence offenders. Johnson is survived by her two sons, who are now living with their father.
Resources
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. Calls are toll-free and confidential; help is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Help us improve.
