“Beyond Comprehension”: North Carolina Man Gets Life for Torturing and Killing 15-Year-Old Stepson in Years-Long Reign of Abuse

ROCKINGHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – A 54-year-old man convicted of torturing and murdering his girlfriend’s teenage son in a horrific case of domestic abuse has been sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to prosecutors in Richmond County.

Convicted of Murder, “Forever Changed” the Community

Joseph Ray Carroll was found guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of felony child abuse in the death of 15-year-old Casey Johnson, who suffered years of physical and psychological abuse before being killed in January 2021.

Prosecutors said Carroll repeatedly banged the boy’s head against the floor until he died — while his younger sister watched in terror.

“I cannot adequately express the horrors these children experienced at the hands of this defendant,” said District Attorney Jamie Adams. “As a career prosecutor, I have never encountered a case like this one.”

Adams said the brutality of the case “forever changed the children, the jurors, court personnel, and this community.”

Years of Abuse and Torture

According to trial evidence, Carroll subjected Casey and his two sisters to years of torture — including waterboarding, beatings, starvation, and sleep deprivation.

A child abuse expert testified that the teen’s injuries were comparable to those sustained in a car accident, describing the trauma as “systematic and unrelenting.”

“Much of what the jury saw cannot be unseen,” Adams told reporters after sentencing.

Mother Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charges

Casey’s mother, Michelle Johnson, initially faced murder charges but later accepted a plea deal for accessory after the fact and felony child abuse after jurors saw video evidence of Carroll coaching her on how to align their stories.

She has not yet been sentenced.

During testimony, one of Casey’s sisters recalled how Carroll’s abuse left them too weak to fight back.

“Joe made us so weak that we couldn’t fight back,” she said tearfully. “He took my family and ripped it into shreds.”

Sisters Safe, Justice Served

The surviving sisters are now living safely with their aunt and uncle, who said Casey would have been proud that justice was finally served.

“He was a protector of his sisters,” said their aunt, Jennifer Jefferson. “Knowing that they’re safe now — that’s what he would have wanted.”

Carroll will spend the rest of his life behind bars, with no chance of parole.

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