A revised look at Ronnie Johns the “.44 caliber killer”. How Ronnie Johns became the .44 caliber killer!

For those who didn’t know, Ronnie Johns was a male serial killer from Flint, Michigan who made the national headline news after killing 8 people on a murder spree in 1991. Most of Ronnie Johns victims were either shot and killed in robbery attempts. These murders were drug related.

Ronnie Johns was born as Ronald Johns in February 23, 1973 to two parents and five siblings in a family of 8. They were of Christian faith. The world did now know what kind of chaos and havoc Ronnie Johns would bring. His parents were very supportive as they were always there. (Ref: https://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2profile.aspx?mdocNumber=225455)

Ronnie Johns attended high school at Flint Central High School in the late 1980s. He was known as a troublemaker who caused mischief and was combatant with people. Although his fights with people at school were nothing more than a few bruises here and there. (Ref: http://mixerrreviewsblogspotatxn.blogspot.com/2015/11/behind-biography-of-ronnie-johns.html)

The 1990s is where Ronnie Johns became a burglar, drug dealer, fry cook, and of course murderer. He was into Hip Hop/Rap music. Ronnie Johns had often affiliated himself with the King Hood rap group Criminal Background from Rankin Street a block or so north of Dayton Avenue (Dayton Street). Ronnie Johns had affiliated himself with Criminal Background members White Lee (Lee Laury) and Young Po until his arrest. (Ref: https://mixerrreviews.blogspot.com/2017/06/behind-biography-of-ronnie-johns.html)


Now onto the history of how Ronnie Johns became the “.44 caliber killer”!

As a teenager, Ronnie became attracted to the glamor and money of street life that slowly plagued Flint, Michigan.

Ronnie was 16 when he had stopped coming to school altogether. He dropped out of high school in the 11th grade in the year of 1991. He was already in too deep into that street life as he was attracted to the glamour and money of street life. The high customer demand and good money of the drug game is what led him to drop out of school. Ronnie Johns was a drug dealer on the streets of Flint at that time. His life of crime started in 1991. (Ref: https://theroadlesswritten.com/24-hours-flint-part-one-first-12/)

Ronnie Johns was friends with Abron Shakir (Big Abe aka Big A) and James “Little Bo” Murphy. They were gangbangers (Gangsta Disciples/GD’s) from King Hood on the North Side of Flint. Abron Shakir was known for selling cocaine (coke). Ronnie Johns was a GD too. Ronnie Johns started dabbling into coke not knowing that snorting coke would become a habit. That ate into the profit of what they were selling. The cocaine and marijuana was Ronnie Johns choice. Things just got out of control from there.

Back in May 1991, he had gotten ahold of a stolen gun, which was a fearsome looking .44-caliber Ruger Redhawk revolver with maple wood grips and a scope, from someone’s house in King Hood he had burglarized in a robbery with Abron Shakir and James “Little Bo” Murphy.

In the month of August 1991 during the darkened pitch black Flint nighttime, Lucile Bowie and her 14 year-old intern Demetrius Rawls had been shot and killed by Ronnie Johns.

1322 North Grand Traverse Street near 11th Street is the location where 38 year-old Lucille Bowie operated and owned a thriving neighborhood dope house back in 1991. Lucille Bowie and Demetrius Rawls were the individuals present at the residence. Ronnie Johns had approached the two with the intention to buy crack cocaine. After that, Ronnie Johns had suddenly took out a stolen .44 caliber Ruger Redhawk (from a person’s house which he burglarized earlier) and demanded money. Both of them handed over everything they had without any resistance but that didn’t convince Ronnie Johns not to shoot them. Both died at the scene. This event was a double-homicide to another drug-related homicide from earlier that same year. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/204606059/)

After that, Ronnie Johns supposedly “shot a sleeping 18 month-old baby in the buttocks” in the same house. Yet somehow the infant survived. This infant was the child of Lucille Bowie. The victims were found about 4:20 AM by a neighbor who heard the baby crying. The baby was wounded in the leg and in serious condition. This particular homicide incident had made the morning headline news on the Flint Journal newspaper. This event led Ronnie Johns to be known as “Ronnie Johns the .44 caliber killer”! (Ref: Battle Creek Enquirer, Page 5, Saturday, August 10, 1991)

Lucille Bowie was renting out her residence to big time drug dealers. James “Little Bo” Murphy and Donald “Juice” Williams were the big time drug dealers who rented from her. James “Little Bo” Murphy used to run her dope house too. Lt. Robert McFadden said he identified a victim as Lucille Bowie. She had been evicted from the apartment earlier this week because of suspected drug activity. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/100403488/)

It didn’t take long for the police to track and locate Ronnie Johns and his accomplices. Someone tipped by phone to the Flint Police Department about the gun used in the Grand Traverse double-homicide to the drug-related homicide as well was previous crimes committed. Ronnie Johns was caught and arrested by Flint Police Department for his crimes on October 22, 1991 on an anonymous tip. (Ref: https://mytuner-radio.com/da/podcast/criminal-perspective-chris-duett-1471068303)

His arrest caught local attention and national attention from TV stations and newspapers across the United States. Flint TV and ABC covered his trial weekly before his sentence as he made headlines on the newspapers. (Ref: https://murderpedia.org/male.J/j/johns-ronnie.htm)

The judge had sentenced Ronnie Johns to life in prison on July 9, 1992. His charges were 15 years to life on one count and life without parole on another count. He was charged for crimes he previously committed. From there on out, Ronnie Johns still continues to serve his penal sentence as he rots in prison at Kinross Correctional Facility in Kincheloe, Michigan. (Ref: https://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2profile.aspx?mdocNumber=225455)

Chris Duett and Andrew Hodge of Criminal Perspective interviewed Ronnie Johns for their podcast on May 2020. He gave them information the courts didn’t even know about. He even discussed how James “Little Bo” Murphy was a co-defendent and how he was not charged for his crimes because he was a minor. Members of the Gangsta Disciples turned on him and testified against him for a reduced sentence.  (Ref: https://anchor.fm/criminal-perspective/episodes/Interview-with-convicted-murderer-Steve-Parkus-ee8li6)

*There are news articles from several newspapers across the country (specifically the North and Midwest) supporting evidence that Ronnie Johns killed people out of state. Most of Ronnie Johns victims were either shot and killed in robbery attempts. These murders were drug related.]


For those who are wanting to write to Ronnie Johns, the address is listed below. All federal laws, local laws, and US State laws apply for mail regulations.

Ronnie Johns 225455
Kinross Correctional Facility
16770 S. Watertower Drive
Kincheloe, MI 49788