Johna Robinson (Source: Houston Police Department)
HOUSTON - A Houston man faces both state murder charges and federal drug and firearms counts following his arrest in connection to a fatal shooting last month.
Houston murder investigation
Johna Robinson, 49, is charged with murder in Harris County’s 176th Criminal District Court for the Feb. 24 killing of 52-year-old Terribia Dembry at an apartment complex on the 9600 block of Grant Road. Additionally, he faces federal counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The backstory:
According to the Houston Police Department, officers were called to the apartment complex parking lot around 12:45 p.m. on Feb. 24, where they found Dembry with multiple gunshot wounds. He died at the scene. It remains unclear if Robinson knew Dembry or what motivated the shooting.
A criminal complaint unsealed Friday in federal court alleges that investigators linked a vehicle associated with Robinson to the shooting. While conducting surveillance on Robinson at a nearby residence, authorities saw him committing a traffic violation and performed a stop, during which they allegedly discovered a loaded .38-caliber revolver in his waistband.
Because Robinson has prior federal convictions for drug distribution in both the Northern District of Florida and the Southern District of Texas, federal law prohibits him from possessing a firearm.
Court documents further detail a history of alleged illicit activity. Authorities say they encountered Robinson during a July 2025 traffic stop, where he allegedly fled the scene before being taken into custody. During a search of his vehicle, investigators found nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine, which investigators believe was intended for the manufacture of counterfeit pills.
What's next:
He is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan on March 16.
If convicted on the federal drug charge, Robinson faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years and up to life in prison. The federal firearm charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years.
The investigation was a coordinated effort between the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Houston Police Department.
The Source: Information in this article is from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas and the Houston Police Department.