Triggerman in murder-for-hire scheme sentenced to life in Jasper County murder

A Jasper County jury took less than 45 minutes to find a man guilty of murder on Wednesday in what the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office called a murder-for-hire-scheme.

Rohaime “Killa” Hopkins, 37, a former convict and triggerman, was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison in the Nov. 13, 2014, death of Terrance Johnson, who was shot five times while in a vehicle on Knowles Island Road, according to a Solicitor’s Office news release.

Assistant Solicitor Mary Jones told the jury that Hopkins was hired by a well-known area drug dealer to shoot and kill Johnson because Johnson had “snitched” and owed the man money, the release said.

“The defendant coerced the victim to a rural area of the county, and when he got the victim alone, the defendant shot him five times while sitting in a car,” Jones said.

Hopkins has been in and out of prison since 1996 on charges that include assault and battery with intent to kill and federal weapons violations, the release said.

The sentence was handed down by Circuit Court Judge Perry Buckner.

“Rohaime Hopkins is an extremely dangerous man who deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars,” Jones said. “There is no doubt that Jasper County is a safer place with this man off the streets.”

This story was originally published May 18, 2017 at 8:55 AM with the headline "Triggerman in murder-for-hire scheme sentenced to life in Jasper County murder."