On November 5, 1983, David Johnston placed a call to the Orlando Police Department at 3:30 a.m. identifying himself as Martin White. Johnston gave the police the address of the crime scene stating that someone had killed his grandmother. When the police arrived, they found 84-year-old Mary Hammond’s dead body in the house.
Hammond had been stabbed multiple times and also displayed signs of manual strangulation. Johnston was arrested after police noticed scratches on his face, blood on his clothing, and noted various discrepancies in the accounts he gave to several officers at the crime scene.
- Additionally:
- Prior to the murder, Johnston had contact with Hammond due to his employment at a demolition site close to her home.
- Johnston was seen in her apartment five days prior to the murder.
- Witnesses saw Johnston earlier without scratches on his face.
- Johnston’s watch, which was later found covered with blood in the victim’s bathroom, was seen on Johnston’s wrist as late as 1:45 a.m. the morning of the murder.
- A butterfly pendant that Johnston was seen wearing as late as 2:00 a.m. was found in the victim’s hair.
- A blood-stained butcher knife was discovered under the victim’s mattress and a footprint was found outside the kitchen window that matched Johnston’s shoe.
- A pillowcase was found at the demolition site that contained a brass teapot, a wine bottle, flatware, tableware, and a silver candlestick, all of which belonged to the victim.
