Two men have been indicted and charged with the murder of Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Brandon Shirley.
On Thursday, police arrested 28-year-old Jesse Johnson and 18-year-old Marquis Mitchell after they were indicted on murder charges by a Jefferson County Grand Jury. Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Erika Shields and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer made the announcement at a news conference.
Johnson, who has a lengthy criminal history in southern Indiana and Jefferson County, is being held in Louisville Metro Corrections while Mitchell, who has no criminal history, is being held in Floyd County (Ind.) Corrections. Both are being held on $500,000 cash bonds.
Johnson has been in jail since September 2021 on an armed robbery charge.
Shirley, 26, was fatally shot in the stomach on the morning of August 5, 2021, as he worked security at Rockford Lane Auto Sales. He radioed in his own shooting but later died at University of Louisville Hospital.
Shirley joined the sheriff’s office in March 2019 and worked as court security at Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice. He attended the police training academy in Richmond with Clarkson Police Officer Blake Elmore and Grayson County Deputy Sean Fentress.
“He was a great guy,” Elmore said when Shirley was killed. “He had a heart of gold and loved to have a good time. This hits pretty hard, knowing it could have been any of us; and us being friends.”
The Shirley family was not present at the news conference announcing the indictments but later issued a statement:
Our son, Brandon, dedicated his career to public service and the pursuit of justice for all. Today’s indictments mark a significant step forward in obtaining justice for Brandon. Thank you to the local, state, and federal law enforcement officers and this community for your work on this case.
We have many unanswered questions, including why our son was murdered.
We continue to pray for answers, sooner rather than later, and give thanks for the hope, love, and support that we’ve received.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
