Portage Police Chief Troy Williams is vowing not to be deterred by the killing on Thursday in Gary of a reported witness against Dontaye Singletary and Sheaurice Major, charged with the murder on Nov. 1 of Carl Griffith Sr.

Antoinetta Johnson, 34, was shot to death around 1 p.m. in a beauty salon by a man with a hood on his head.

“It was reported that a witness in the tragic murder of Mr. Carl Griffith . . . was gunned down in Gary, Indiana yesterday at her beauty shop,” Williams said in a statement released today. “This apparent targeted act of violence occurred in broad daylight and across from the Gary Police Department and the suspect remains at large. Gary Police detectives are investigating and our detectives have been in contact with them.”

“This homicide does not deter our focused efforts to bring Mr. Griffith’s killers to justice,” Williams added. “Our detectives and patrol officers have worked countless hours in bringing charges against Dontaye Singletary and Sheaurice Major and as such we will continue our investigation without hesitancy.”

At approximately 8:05 p.m. Nov. 1, Griffith was shot outside his home in the 2700 block of Locust Street in Portage.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Det. Janis Regnier, Antoinetta Johnson advised investigators that about a week prior to the shooting, Major—the estranged wife of Griffith’s employer, the owner of Affordable Towing—told her that she wanted Griffith hurt and asked Johnson whether she knew anyone who would do it. Johnson “advised that she did and arranged for Dontaye Singletary and Sheaurice Major to get in touch with each other,” Regnier stated in her affidavit.

On Nov. 1, Major told Johnson to wait for Singletary near Griffith’s residence and Johnson did as Major asked her, Regnier stated. While she was waiting Singletary called Johnson to inquire about her location and then, after Johnson heard gun shots, Singletary ran up to her car, entered it, told her to leave the scene fast, and noted that “I got him,” Regnier stated.

Major and Singletary have both been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Johnson then drove Singletary to Gary and dropped him off across the street from the Steel Yard. On returning to Portage, Johnson got a call from Major, who asked Johnson to deliver $200 and a sealed envelope to Singletary, which she did, Regnier stated.

Posted 12/14/2012