Trial continues for Tyler man accused of planning murder

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Strong emotions were on display in an East Texas courtroom today as allegations were made of a jilted ex-boyfriend, a crime of passion, and manipulation to commit murder.

Prosecutors are trying to prove Kendall Damaal Johnson, of Tyler, manipulated a friend to fatally stab Lashekia Kenney in September of 2021, a woman he once dated.

The Gregg County jury saw police interview video today. In it, Johnson is caught several times giving investigators inconsistent explanations after the killing.

In court, Johnson sat appearing unaffected and stoic.

“You lied to me three times in this room -- at least three times,” said one of the investigating officers to Johnson on the interview video.

“He had a very inconsistent story. His favorite word was, ‘I’m compliant. I’m compliant.’ He said he was in Henderson, then he said he was in Kilgore,” said Kenney’s close friend, Shaviairre Taylor.

Though Johnson’s friend, Calvin Anderson, admitted to killing Johnson’s ex-girlfriend, Kenney, the prosecution was attempting to show Johnson had offered compensation and manipulated his friend into the murder.

“$10,000, cars, the financial stability of his business,” said Kenney’s cousin, Kim Williams.

A forensic expert testified that Kenney suffered 17 wounds with a sharp-edged instrument, the major strike slicing her jugular vein.

“The jugular vein which drains blood down from the head into the heart. The ultimate mechanism of death, why somebody dies if they are assaulted with and edged weapon, is going to be blood loss,” said Doctor Grant Herndon of Southwest Forensics Institute.

But, it was Johnson’s reaction to being questioned that caught the attention of Kenney’s family and friends.

“He never asked, ‘Why?’ He was like, ‘Oh, I was nervous.’ Surprised when they had to tell him what was wrong,” Taylor said.

As she said, from the video shown, nowhere during the interview did Johnson ask “why?”

“How come you haven’t asked how she died?” said one investigating officer to Johnson on the video.

“Been praying that the jury will take everything into consideration, and that justice will be served for my best friend,” Taylor said.

Anderson, of Henderson, pleaded guilty to Kenney’s murder in January. He will not be sentenced until a verdict is reached in the Johnson trial.

Our previous reporting on the trial can be read here.

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