Niamh Shackleton
An ex-convict who claimed to have turned his life around on Joe Rogan's podcast has been arrested and charged with murder.
Sheldon Johnson, 48, had starred on The Joe Rogan Experience and discussed his justice reform advocacy in an episode that aired just last month.
Johnson has previously spent over two decades behind bars after sentenced for attempted murder and robbery.
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Upon his release, he was working as a counselor to help at-risk youths at the Queens public defender's office in New York.
When he chatted to famed podcast host Joe Rogan, Johnson had insisted that he was trying to do 'something good' with his life.
Recalling getting out on prison, he told Rogan: "When I got out, I made a decision that I was going to walk away and I didn't care about what the consequences was. And I said to myself, I've been doing bad for so long, I'm going to try to do something good."
He went on: "If all else fails, I could always go back to doing something bad. But let me try."
Johnson also recalled thinking that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
"I remember thinking, 'What are you going to do? Can you live out the next 48 years like this?' I said I couldn't do it," the ex-con said.
He also revealed that he'd tried to convince the judge to sentence him to 15 years - but he was slapped with a 50 years (two consecutive 25-year sentences) instead.
"My final offer before trial was 23 years, which kind of blew me away because my lawyer kept telling me that my maximum sentence was 25 years if I went to trial," Johnson shared.
"So in my mind, it just didn't make no sense to me. Why would I forfeit my rights to an appeal if there's only a two year difference? I told the judge I would take 15 years right now. [...] He refused to accept my plea offer and I went to trial and then I ended up getting 50 years, five zero."
Now Johnson is accused of murdering Collin Small.
Small was last seen entering his apartment in CCTV footage on Tuesday (March 5), and the following day Johnson was found in the apartment.
Discovered with him was a dismembered torso without a head or arms.
Small's super had called police after his neighbors reported hearing gun shots from his apartment.
One person claims to have heard a person shouting, "Please don't, I have family!" as the gun shots rung out.
Further CCTV footage also showed Johnson coming and going from the apartment with bags and storage bins, each time appearing to wear a different kind of disguise.
Neighbors said that they didn't recognize the man, further sparking suspicion.
His Harlem apartment was then searched, where the body's head and arms were found in his freezer.
Johnson's now facing charges of murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon.
He stood before a judge yesterday (March 7) where he was remanded to jail without bail, CBS New York reports.