Arrests Made After Man's Body Found Dumped, Burned Near Ada

Two arrests have been made after a metro man's body was dumped and set on fire. Authorities believe the murder took place in Oklahoma City, but the victim's body driven to Ada where it was charred and left under a bridge.

Friday, November 13th 2015, 5:31 pm

By: News 9


Two arrests have been made after a metro man's body was dumped and set on fire. Authorities believe the murder took place in Oklahoma City, but the victim's body driven to Ada where it was charred and left under a bridge.

Authorities believe the crime was carried out by several people.

"Ada 911. What is your emergency?"

"I'm on Sandy Creek Road, and there's something underneath it on fire. I can't tell if it's a vehicle that got under the bridge or what it is, but it's on fire."

"And it just seems to keep getting worse, and I don't know if there's somebody under there or what."

"There's just a big fire under there, but I can't see a vehicle or nothing."

What was on fire was the body of Dennis Johnson, Jr. Investigators believe Johnson was killed in Oklahoma City, and then had his body wrapped up in blankets and trash bags, driven to a bridge outside Ada, dumped and set on fire.

It happened back in June, but five months later two arrests have been made in the case. Teresa McDonald and Aaron Laday are in custody for the crime.

Court documents state Laday told a man living in Ada that he killed a man and needed the man's help. He showed up in a white suburban along with two women he called "Babe" and "Sis."

Records indicate this man, Laday and the two women drove to the bridge with Johnson's body. The man told detectives he "could hear the gas being poured out followed by a fire being set under the bridge."

Investigators talked with several others who believed Johnson burglarized a house where two of them lived.

They say prior to the crime Laday gave them each twenty dollars and told them "to go to Wal-Mart and purchase cleaning products." In addition they filled up Laday's white suburban at an Oklahoma City Circle K along with "two red gas cans." They also say they attacked Johnson before his body ended up charred and abandoned beneath a bridge.

News 9 obtained Johnson's autopsy report from the Medical Examiner's Office. He died from stab wounds and blunt force trauma. His manner of death is listed as homicide.

Both McDonald and Laday are facing first degree murder charges.

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