Late at night on the eighteen of March, the stark serenity of a Montana gaming property was ominously disrupted outside Ike and Susan’s Lounge and Casino in the quiet city of Great Falls. Trevor Leonard Johnson, now the prime suspect, was apprehended on a Thursday for his alleged involvement in the gruesome slashing incident that had taken place on those grounds earlier that month.
The night twisted into tragedy as deep discussions between Johnson and the unnamed victim, a friend of Johnson, lingered on. Eventually, the casino bar pulled down its shutters, and the victim retreated into the relative tranquility of a parked vehicle within the property.
Under motives yet shrouded in mystery, the victim emerged from the car and landed a punch on Johnson’s head. The assault sparked a cataclysmic reprisal. Quick as lightning, Johnson retrieved a black switchblade from the recesses of his pocket, wielding it with a dark intent. His friend, the victim, bore the brunt of this violence, suffering punctures to his stomach and arm, as Johnson lashed out.
Johnson, ensnared in the adrenaline of the altercation, initially chose flight over fight. His flight was abortive as he found himself drawn back to the scene of the crime. Upon his return, onlookers overheard Johnson’s disturbing admission — “It was me. I did it. “
The responding officers from Great Falls Police Department, upon arrival, arrested Johnson. The immediate aftermath found him in the austere confines of the police station. Arrest reports were punctuated by Johnson’s recount of the altercation, leading an officer to review the chilling tape of the fight that the casino’s surveillance cameras had silence witnessed.
The victim, meanwhile, clung to life as he was rushed to a local hospital. Medical professionals wrestled with the wounds at hand: his stomach grievously ripped open, forcing his internal organs unbidden into the harsh light of the world outside. They treated the deep cut on his stomach and a separate stab wound on his arm. As of now, the status of the victim remains uncertain.
The law primed itself for response as Johnson, under scrutiny, faces the accusation of assault with a weapon. In the halls of Cascade county court, a judge ruled for the continuance of the case due to the probable cause implicating Johnson. Furthermore, a hefty bail of $10,000 and a mandated distance of 1500 feet from the victim were imposed on Johnson.
As of yet, Johnson has given no plea to the charge pressing against him. But if found guilty, he could be sentenced to two decades of confinement removed from society and a fine that could bloom to a terrifying $50,000. Whether or not Johnson was physically wounded during the violent altercation remains unknown. The more pressing matter, however, lies in untangling the reason behind the violent spark that marred the companionship, forever branding Johnson and his friend the suspect and the victim.