SIDNEY — The man accused of stabbing a Sidney man to death made his initial court appearance Thursday morning in Sidney Municipal Court.
Judge Duane Goettemoeller set bail at $1 million for Troy Delano McRae Jr., 34, of Sidney. McRae is charged with aggravated murder in the death of Lance Johnson, 38, on March 14.
Prosecutor Tim Sell had requested no bond be set for McRae because of the brutality of Johnson’s death. After the incident, McRae fled Shelby County, said Sell, and went to Lima, where he was arrested Wednesday night.
“Because of the severity of the crime and the risk to the community, I’m asking for no bond,” said Sell.
McRae was represented by Laura Waymire of the Shelby County Public Defenders Office.
“the case came together where we had a definite suspect,” said Sell after the hearing. “We made the decision to bring charges against him. Between 7:30 and 8 p.m. (Wednesday night) we were preparing charges to be filed in Municipal Court.
“A Municipal Court representative met us at the police department well after her workday” to approve the warrant, said Sell.
While the paperwork was being prepared, Sell contacted the Lima Police Department, informing them a warrant for an aggravated murder arrest was being drawn up and that the suspect could be in Lima. Forty-five minutes later, the warrant was finalized and a second call was made to the Lima Police Department.
“They had already assembled a team to find the accused,” said Sell. “Within two hours they had located him and executed the warrant.”
Sell said the cooperation between the two law enforcement agencies was greatly appreciated.
“The courtesy they extended to us … was very much appreciated,” said Sell.
Lima Police Officers arrested McRae at approximately 10:07 p.m. Wednesday at an undisclosed location in Lima. Investigators from the Sidney Police Department met with Lima Law enforcement officers shortly after McRae’s arrest. McRae was turned over to Sidney Police and transported back to Sidney. He is currently incarcerated at the Shelby County Jail.
Johnson’s body was discovered on March 14 after the Sidney Police Department was called to do a welfare check at 402 N. Main Ave., Apt. B3. After their arrival on the scene, officers discovered Johnson’s body on the living room floor. Officers discovered signs that a fight and ransacking had occurred.
The Shelby County Coroner’s investigator assisted at the scene and it was determined that Johnson had been stabbed multiple times. In the days following the murder, officers followed up on numerous leads, which led the investigators to McRae.
A witness provided information that McRae was seen after the murder with a bandage around his left hand. McRae allegedly confided to the witness that he stabbed Johnson. McRae also made additional statements about the murder that only the person responsible for Johnson’s death would know, said Capt. Jerry Tangeman.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information about the murder should contact the Sidney Police Department at 937-498-2351.
