New Statement From Carlos Smith Raises Major Questions About Holly Johnson.

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]We are learning new details uh this afternoon about that deadly shooting in the South back in September. A young mother got killed.

[00:00:05]>> Yeah. Cuedia Holly Johnson is accused of shooting Romeica Blackman. Johnson says it was self-defense.

[00:00:12]>> Well, after new charges were filed last week, Johnson was back in court today.

[00:00:16]Tia Eu got more on what happened.

[00:00:18]>> I'm just tired of the lies and everything of what they said I did. I know for a fact it wasn't true. I didn't headlock it. Those are the words Carlos Smith spoke in court this week. Not I didn't headlock her. It He referred to Rama Meeks Blackman, the mother of his child. The woman multiple witnesses say he restrained while his girlfriend shot her in the face in front of a school full of children as it. While Carlos stood outside that Chicago courthouse proclaiming his innocence, denying he ever put Rama in a chokeold, denying he beat her with a car door, claiming he was just trying to diffuse the situation. Guadaja Holly Johnson sat inside that same courthouse facing not one but six charges for Remecca's murder. Six charges. Not because there were six victims, but because Illinois law allows prosecutors to charge the same killing six different ways, six different legal theories to make sure justice is served. And the judge denied her bond. Again, Holly Johnson is staying right where she is, behind bars in Cook County Jail. No house arrest, no ankle monitor, no going home to await trial. But here's what has everyone talking. Carlos Smith, the man witnesses say had Romea in a headlock, the man prosecutors alleged fistbumped Holly right after the shooting. The man who violated a protective order just by being there that morning, walked out of that courthouse a free man. No charges, no handcuffs, no consequences.

[00:02:03]At least not yet. Because legal experts are saying what prosecutors won't say out loud under Illinois's accountability doctrine. Carlos Smith is next. And when those charges come, there is no parole in Illinois. None. Illinois abolished parole in 1978. If you're convicted here, you serve every single day of your sentence. 100%. No early release, no good behavior cuts, no second chances.

[00:02:34]Every single day. On September 8th, 2025, Romeica Meeks Blackman woke up and wrote her six-year-old son a note. She told him it was a fresh start. She told him he was the coolest, smartest, funniest kid she knew. She told him she loved him. She told him she was proud of him. She packed that note in his lunchbox, dropped him off at school, kissed him goodbye.

[00:02:59]And minutes later, she was shot multiple times in the face at point blank range in front of witnesses in front of a school. Romea's son is seven years old now. He's being raised by his grandmother. He still asks about his mommy. Holly Johnson is in jail, facing the possibility of natural life in prison with no chance of parole. And Carlos Smith, he's claiming he's the victim of lies. Welcome back to Crimecord TV.

[00:03:33]>> I'm just tired of the lies and everything or the uh what they said I did. I know for a fact it wasn't true. I didn't hear a lot. I didn't beat her with the door.

[00:03:44]I only try to diffuse the situation.

[00:03:46]They keep deflecting away from that. And what I did made what they saying I did made it sound harsh and I didn't do that.

[00:03:54]So, we need justice. We need justice to be served, too. The truth.

[00:03:58]>> Been following this case, you know the basics. But for those just joining us, let me bring you up to speed because what happened on January 9th in that Chicago courtroom changes everything we thought we knew about where this case was headed.

[00:04:16]>> A grieving mother is speaking out after her daughter was shot to death in Chicago's South Loop. Tina McMiller stood this morning near Suracin State, the same spot where 31-year-old Rebecca Meeks Blackman was shot and killed during a school drop off on Monday. And she says her daughter was loving, supportive, and an amazing mother.

[00:04:35]>> I want justice. She didn't deserve it.

[00:04:40]>> Leaders there also called for tougher action against violence and enforcement of House Bill 158. That's a state law that declares violence a public health crisis. No charges have been filed, but police had called the shooting domestic in nature.

[00:04:54]>> This is the story of Rama Meeks Blackman, a 31-year-old nursing student, a devoted mother, a woman who on the morning of September 8th, 2025, woke up, wrote her six-year-old son a love note, packed it in his lunchbox, and drove him to school. That note, the last thing she would ever write to him, has been shared thousands of times since her death. It's been printed on memorial shirts, read vigils, and it breaks your heart every single time. Happy Monday, son. This is a fresh start to this day, and you can start off strong. Always remain yourself. You're the coolest, smartest, and funniest kid I know. I love you so much and you make me so proud. Have a great day. Mommy loves you. She signed it. Love, Mommy. Less than an hour later, Romecha Meeks Blackman was shot multiple times in the face at point blank range.

[00:06:01]>> I have I'm to you shot somebody, [ __ ] What the [ __ ] wrong with you?

[00:06:09]>> She put the gun in the car.

[00:06:12]The gun. She She saw her. Let's go right here. She saw her.

[00:06:17]>> She saw her. She put the gun in the car.

[00:06:20]>> She put the gun in the car.

[00:06:22]>> In front of a school, in front of witnesses, in front of her son's classmates and their parents who are just trying to get through a Monday morning drop off. The woman charged with pulling that trigger is Quad Holly Johnson, 31 years old, from Displains, Illinois. a woman who had never met Rebecca face to face before that morning, but who shared something significant with her. They both had children with the same man. His name is Carlos Smith, Senior, and on September 8th, he was there, right there in the middle of everything. According to prosecutors, Carlos didn't just witness what happened. They say he participated.

[00:07:01]They say he physically restrained Romeica. They say he put her in a choke hold while Holly went to get a gun. And they say after Holly shot Romecha after she fired multiple rounds into the mother of his child, Carlos fist bumped her over Romea's dying body. Carlos denies all of it. Every single word. And as of January 23rd, 2026, Carlos Smith has not been charged with a crime. Holly Johnson. She's in Cook County Jail facing six charges.

[00:07:40]Bond denied twice. And remember, Illinois abolished parole in 1978.

[00:07:49]If she's convicted, she will serve every single day of her sentence. But Carlos, he walked out of that courthouse on January 9th, a free man. The question everyone is asking is simple. For how long? Let's go back. September 8th, 2025. A Monday morning in Chicago's South Loop. It's a little after 9:00 a.m. The city is already awake.

[00:08:14]Commuters heading to work. Parents dropping kids off at school. The rhythm of a regular weekday. Romeica Meeks Blackman pulls up to her son's school on the 2,200 block of South State Street near Kerach Road. Her son, we'll call him Carlos Jr. to protect his privacy, is 6 years old. It's early in the school year. He's excited. She's making sure he has everything he needs. And inside that lunchbox is the note, the one that will later circle the world. At approximately the same time, not far away, Carlos Smith Senior, parks nearby. He's with Quadaja Johnson. His girlfriend, the mother of his six-month-old baby.

[00:08:52]According to court documents, they were there to switch vehicles. A mundane task. Their infant is in the back seat.

[00:09:00]And this is where the stories begin to diverge. This is where what prosecutors say happened and what Carlos and Holly claim happened become two very different narratives. According to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Romecha dropped her son off at approximately 9:06 a.m. As she was getting back to her vehicle, she encountered Carlos and Holly. What started as words became physical according to prosecutors and multiple eyewitnesses and that matters.

[00:09:30]Multiple eyewitnesses. Carlos Smith physically restrained Remecha. Some witnesses say he put her in a headlock.

[00:09:38]Others describe it as a chokeold. One witness reported seeing Carlos swing a car door at Romea trying to trap her.

[00:09:46]While Romeica was restrained, unable to defend herself or escape, Holly Johnson walked back to her vehicle, retrieved a firearm, returned and shot Rama Meeks Blackman multiple times in the face.

[00:10:01]Witnesses say Holly paused between shots, not panic, not chaos, a pause, time to think, time to choose. And then according to prosecutors, after Romea was shot, after she was on the ground dying, Carlos Smith fistbumped Quadha Johnson. Romea was rushed to Stroger Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

[00:10:25]Police recovered three 9mm casings from the scene. Holly Johnson was taken into custody immediately. on video. And yes, there is video. Holly can be heard saying, "I have a license to carry." She claimed self-defense. She said she feared for her life and the life of her infant child. Police took her statement.

[00:10:47]They collected evidence. They interviewed witnesses. And then they released her. No charges. Not yet. For 3 months, Quada Johnson walked free while Romecha's family demanded answers. We are here TO SUPPORT AN AMAZING BABY.

[00:11:05]>> Anybody want a marker?

[00:11:06]>> Hurt, sadness, and broken hearts are expressed on this board for 31-year-old Rama Meeks Blackman.

[00:11:14]>> I am broken.

[00:11:17]>> I am so broken.

[00:11:20]>> Surrounded by family and overwhelmed by grief, Tina McMiller says she's heartbroken after losing her daughter to gun violence. Her family is eagerly seeking justice.

[00:11:33]To understand this case, you need to understand the people involved and the relationship between them is complicated.

[00:11:42]Let's start with Rebecca. Rebecca Meeks Blackman was 31 years old. She was studying to become a nurse. A career built on caring for others, on showing up when people need help. Her family describes her as kind, loving, supportive. Her friends say she had the purest soul. Her mother, Tina McMiller, says Romecha was an amazing mother who lived for her son. Romecha and Carlos Smith senior had a child together.

[00:12:11]Carlos Jr. now 7 years old. But their relationship had ended. According to court documents and family statements, Roma had moved on. She changed her phone number. She moved to a new apartment.

[00:12:23]She was building a life separate from Carlos.

[00:12:26]>> You want to keep lying? This how I feel when somebody keep lying to somebody.

[00:12:29]Why did you lie?

[00:12:31]Tell me why you lied.

[00:12:34]Tell me why you lied. Why did you lie?

[00:12:37]Why you lie so much? Why do you lie so much? I'm talking to you. What? Talk to me and I'll throw it down.

[00:12:46]>> There's something else we need to talk about. A video has been circulating on social media. When I tried to trace where it came from, I was told it was posted by Carlos Smith. The video allegedly shows Reca during a moment of emotional distress. And I keep asking myself the same question. Why record that moment? And why make it public?

[00:13:07]Remember, she can't explain what happened before the camera started rolling. She can't give context. She can't tell her side.

[00:13:16]What I see in that footage is a woman who appears afraid, overwhelmed. And when someone is in that state, the right response isn't to pull out a phone. It's to leave or call for help or give them space. What makes this even more concerning is this. Romeica had a protective order against Carlos. He was legally required to stay away from her.

[00:13:40]So, if this video shows an interaction between them, it raises serious questions about whether that order was being violated. We see this pattern often in toxic relationships.

[00:13:52]Someone's worst moment is captured and used to define them. We see the reaction but never what led to it. The lesson here is simple. When a relationship becomes toxic, especially when protective orders are involved, distance isn't optional. You don't engage. You don't record. You don't show up. You leave. Because when boundaries are ignored, violence becomes far more likely. And the tragedy of September 8th may have been prevented if those boundaries had been respected. When there is conflict, when there is fear, the safest choice is distance. It's the only way to protect everyone involved.

[00:14:35]And here's a critical detail. Romecha had a protective order against Carlos Smith. a protective order that he violated simply by being at that school on September 8th. Now, Carlos Carlos Smith senior known on social media as Carlos Los Wei or Rack Boyo. He is the father of Romea's son and the father of Holly Johnson's infant. Two women, two children, two family dynamics colliding in destructive ways. We don't know much about Carlos beyond what's come out through this case. He hasn't given extensive interviews. He hasn't shared his full story publicly. What we do know is this. On September 8th, he was present when the mother of his child was killed. And according to witnesses and prosecutors, his role was not passive.

[00:15:26]And then there's Holly Johnson. Quad Holly Johnson, 31 years old from Day Plains, Illinois, mother to Carlos's six-month-old baby. And at the time of her December court appearance, 7 weeks pregnant. Holly had no criminal record before September 8th. She had a valid FOID card. She had a concealed carry license. By all legal standards, she was authorized to possess and carry that firearm.

[00:15:59]But here's what makes this case so unsettling. Holly and Rea had never met, not once, not in person, not ever, despite sharing a partner, despite the obvious overlap in their lives. The first time they were face to face was the morning Romeica died. But Holly had filed a protective order against Romeica. In December 2024, 9 months before the shooting, Holly filed a stalking and no contact order. She claimed Romeica had made threats through intermediaries. The order was granted in July 2025. It was never served to Romeica. Romea's family believes that protective order was designed to create a paper trail to build a narrative to set up a defense Holly could later rely on. And on September 8th, 2025, things escalated in the worst possible way after the shooting after Rebecca was pronounced dead. After Holly was taken into custody and released, the waiting began. And for Romeica's family, that wait was torture.

[00:17:05]5 days later, on September 13th, 2025, Romeica's mother stood in West Anglewood at a vigil for her daughter. Hundreds of people came. They released balloons, pink, white, and silver, bearing Rama's nickname, Big Meeks. They wore pink shirts. They cried. They prayed. They demanded justice. Tina McMiller told reporters, "Someone has to pay for this.

[00:17:34]It's not right. I want justice." She didn't deserve it. But justice wasn't coming quickly. September turned into October. October turned into November.

[00:17:45]Still no charges. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office released a statement in late September saying, "After an initial review of the evidence presented by police, there is insufficient information to make a charging decision at this time."

[00:18:00]Insufficient information. Despite multiple witnesses, despite video footage, despite physical evidence, despite the fact that Holly was taken into custody at the scene, the family was furious. And they weren't alone.

[00:18:16]Online petitions gained thousands of signatures. The hashtagjustice for Romeica spread across social media.

[00:18:25]People ask the same question. How does someone shoot an unarmed woman in front of a school and walk free for months.

[00:18:32]Now, to be fair, building a case takes time, especially when the defense is self-defense, especially when protective orders are involved. Especially when prosecutors must prove not just that someone died, but that the killing was unjustified, intentional, and criminal. Because if prosecutors charge too early and lose, double jeopardy applies. The case is over forever.

[00:19:00]So they waited, they built, they reviewed. And then on December 3rd, 2025, 86 days after Rebecca was killed, Chicago police arrested Cuadaja Johnson at her home in Day Plains. Finally, the wait was over. December 4th, 2025.

[00:19:19]Quad Johnson appeared in court for her detention hearing. Dozens of people filled the Cook County Courthouse.

[00:19:25]Romea's family wore pink. They held photos. They held each other. Inside the courtroom, prosecutors laid out their case. Romeica was unarmed. Holly retrieved the gun from her vehicle and then the allegation that stunned the room. Carlos Smith fistbumped Holly Johnson after the shooting. The defense argued self-defense.

[00:19:48]They argued Holly's legal gun ownership.

[00:19:51]They argued her pregnancy. They argued fear. The judge wasn't persuaded. And then came the sentence that changed everything. Celebrating in the street after shooting someone is not self-defense.

[00:20:03]>> I was actually the one at the scene.

[00:20:04]>> Denied.

[00:20:05]>> So, I was the one that was yelling out >> to to arrest her cuz no, everybody wasn't doing anything. I was actually the one who called the cops first. I saw them when they were fighting in the beginning and I was like, "This is not right." He was slamming her with a door when she was standing in her door frame.

[00:20:25]Not even close to the female. She was literally standing on the other side of the road. Her baby daddy was literally slamming the door on her on her back.

[00:20:35]So, she went back into her car, came back out, and then this was when the the baby daddy walked towards the other baby mama. After this happened, he grabbed her by the waist. She tried to wiggle away from him. her arm was like literally almost getting free with his arm around her neck this time cuz he was holding her by the waist in the beginning and she wiggled out. After this happened, he had her in the almost looking like a headlock to me on the side. And then she stated, the other baby mama stated, "I'm going to shoot you. Watch me shoot you." And he stated, "He's going to go get her gun." She's going to go get her gun. Watch. And after this happened, she ran to the passenger side of her her vehicle, grabbed her gun went around and when the woman, the mother who slipped away from him for at least like maybe a good second. As soon as she slipped away, she shot her face on her side and in her thigh. I saw him like holding her for a split second. Maybe he was in shock. But after she was in shock, after he was in shock, I guess he picked her up and when she was falling, like a gush of blood fell like out of her out of her body.

[00:21:53]And I was just I was like, "What the is he doing?" Like I don't know. Everybody else sees movies, you know what I mean?

[00:22:00]And they see put pressure on the wound.

[00:22:02]Why weren't you putting pressure on the wound? Why weren't you caring enough?

[00:22:06]This supposedly was your your first baby mama? Cuz when I was on the bus, I heard him and her screaming. She was literally saying. She was like, "I just dropped off my baby." What? I just dropped off my baby. Are you guys kidding me? As soon as I got off the 21 bus and trust me, they got it. You know what I mean?

[00:22:24]Everything that I I literally had to I wasn't going to let her die like that.

[00:22:28]You I saw I literally looked into her eyes. I That hurt me. You said she dropped her baby off and you don't know who she is. You know what I mean? And I was like, "She needs to get arrested."

[00:22:37]You know what I mean? They didn't they weren't even thinking there was a a a another black female cop who came up and a Mexican short and I pointed out I was like the the guns are in the car. Why wouldn't you give him the gun if supposedly this was you know self-defense? You know what I mean? If it was here's the gun. This is what happened. It was no self-defense. I swear to you it did not look like no self-defense. It looked like you shot her cuz you were just angry or something. You know what I mean? to me when she shot her it wasn't it she the the female that got shot she wasn't with any gun she didn't have no weapon no knives no nothing so what was it that frightened you so much you had to run around your car go into your passenger passenger seat or whatever the case is you reached in to get your gun and shoot this woman you so to me it was a senseless they were arguing because she was pinging up and I last day I ended up parking. Why was her car parked on the sidewalk? Because I seen she ran towards the sidewalk to get her gun and it was a small black vehicle.

[00:23:43]I seen she ran towards the sidewalk to get her gun and it was a small black vehicle and he had a black truck I think and literally he came out of his truck looking like real. He wasn't like on anything but being mischievous. Nothing but like was like he was planning something. You know what I mean? And I called the cops on the first time I called the cops. It was because he was attacking her and and the other girl was just yelling at her and she was arguing back. So there was nothing going on for her to be like, "I'm going to step back over here to go get my gun." She was nowhere near her. But that's all I got to say.

[00:24:19]>> Outside that courthouse, Carlos Smith spoke briefly, vaguely. The motion claims Blackman allegedly blocked Johnson's vehicle, approached her aggressively, and said, "I told y'all I was going to catch you."

[00:24:33]>> That was it. No details, no specifics.

[00:24:36]He acknowledged being there, but he denied everything without saying what he was denying. And then he walked away until January 9th. In early January 2026, prosecutors made a move that surprised many. They filed five additional charges against Holly Johnson. Six charges total. Not six victims, six legal theories. This is strategy. Different paths to the same conviction. Intent, knowledge, probability of death, same act, same victim, multiple ways to prove guilt.

[00:25:16]Holly's defense pushed back. They cited 911 recordings, surveillance footage, witness credibility. They asked again for Bond. On January 9th, 2026, the judge listened. Bond was denied. Holly stayed behind bars. But something else happened that day. Carlos Smith spoke again, and this time he said much more.

[00:25:44]I'm just tired of the lies and everything of the uh what they said I did. I know for a fact it wasn't true. I didn't hear locker. I didn't beat up with the door.

[00:25:55]I only tried to diffuse the situation.

[00:25:57]They keep deflecting away from that. And what I did made what they saying I did made it sound harsh and I didn't do that. So we need justice. We need justice to be served too. The truth.

[00:26:09]>> January 9th, 2026.

[00:26:12]Outside the Cook County Courthouse, after Holly Johnson was once again denied bond, Carlos Smith approached reporters. And for the first time, he gave a detailed statement about what he says really happened that morning. Let's break that down. I'm just tired of the lies and everything of what they said I did. Carlos is positioning himself as a victim, not of violence, but of a false narrative. He's saying prosecutors are lying. Witnesses are lying. I know for a fact it wasn't true. I didn't headlock it. Notice the language. It. Not her.

[00:26:53]Not Romeica. Not the mother of his child. It. That word matters. It creates distance. It removes humanity.

[00:27:05]I didn't beat her with the door.

[00:27:07]This is the first time Carlos directly addresses one of the allegations.

[00:27:12]Witnesses reported seeing him swing a car door at Romea, trying to trap her.

[00:27:18]Carlos denies it. I only tried to diffuse the situation.

[00:27:22]This is his defense. Peacemaker, not participant.

[00:27:27]They keep deflecting away from that. And what they said I did made it sound harsh. He's not denying involvement entirely. He's saying his actions are being exaggerated. So, we need justice.

[00:27:39]We need justice to be served to the truth. We Carlos aligns himself with Holly. Not Rama's family, not the community. We Now, here's the problem.

[00:27:51]Carlos's version directly contradicts multiple eyewitness accounts. Not one witness. multiple independent people at a bus stop, parents at a school, drivers passing by, people with no connection to each other, and they all describe the same thing. Carlos physically restraining Romea, Carlos denies it, but denial doesn't erase testimony. This is the question that won't go away. If prosecutors believe Carlos restrained Rama, if they believe he helped facilitate the shooting, if they believe he celebrated afterward, why is he still free? The answer lies in Illinois law, specifically the accountability doctrine. Under Illinois statute 720 ILCS 5/2, a person can be charged if they aid, abet, or facilitate a crime. But there's a key requirement. Prosecutors must prove Carlos knew or reasonably believed that lethal force was going to be used.

[00:28:57]Not just that he was there. Not just that he restrained her. They must prove state of mind, intent, knowledge. That's hard. That evidence might come from texts, phone calls, statements made before or after. Behavior like the alleged fist bump. Prosecutors are likely building that case carefully because once they charge Carlos, they have to win. If they lose, there is no second chance. Another possibility, Carlos could be cooperating. But his public statements don't sound like cooperation. He's defensive. He's denying. That leaves one final possibility.

[00:29:39]Prosecutors are waiting. They're focused on Hollifirst. And if she flips, Carlos is next. Legal experts following this case say the same thing. It's not if Carlos is charged, it's when. Let's talk consequences. In Illinois, first-degree murder carries 20 to 60 years or natural life. And here's what makes Illinois different. There is no parole. None. If you're sentenced to 40 years, you serve 40 years. If you're sentenced to 60, you serve 60. If you're sentenced to natural life, you die in prison every single day. No early release, no good behavior credits. This is why prosecutors move slowly. The stakes are absolute. If Holly Johnson is convicted and sentenced to 40 years, she'll be over 70 before release. If Carlos is charged and convicted under accountability, the same applies. This is not symbolic justice. This is permanent. Holly Johnson's next court date is February 3rd, 2026. A status hearing. This is when we may learn the specifics of the five new charges. The defense may reveal the evidence they've hinted at. 911 recordings, surveillance footage. If it's compelling, the strategy may change. If not, this case moves toward trial. Holly remains in jail. Carlos remains free for now. While the courts move slowly, a family is grieving.

[00:31:21]Romecha's mother, Tina McMiller, is raising Carlos Jr. He's 7 years old now.

[00:31:27]He still asks about his mommy, but the family is strong. They wear pink. They hold vigils. They refuse to let Romea become a footnote. They want accountability for everyone involved.

[00:31:38]This case is about more than one shooting. It's about protective orders that aren't enforced. High conflict co-parenting, gun laws, self-defense claims. Romea thought a school drop off was safe, public, visible. She was wrong, and the judge said it best.

[00:31:56]Celebrating in the street after shooting someone is not self-defense.

[00:32:02]At the center of this case is a seven-year-old boy without his mother.

[00:32:07]Romecha Meeks Blackman was 31. She was building a future and she should still be here. A jury will decide what happened. But one truth is permanent.

[00:32:19]Romea is never coming home. Justice for Romecha. Accountability for those responsible and a commitment to do better. If you want to stay updated on this case, subscribe to Crime TV and turn on notifications.

[00:32:36]And if you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence or high conflict co-parenting, please reach out for help.