Anatomy of Murder: "The Knock (Lamont Baldwin)"

Original Air Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi & Scott Weinberger
Guest Contributor: Matthew Ackley (Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney, Henrico County, VA)

Overview

This episode unravels the layered investigation behind the 2017 murder of Lamont Baldwin, a father and community figure in Henrico County, Virginia. Nicolazzi and Weinberger, alongside prosecutor Matthew Ackley, dissect the tragic chain of events, exposing not just the mechanics of the crime but the rippling trauma inflicted on Baldwin’s family. The episode explores the intersection of family, narcotics, organized crime, and the quest for justice, ultimately revealing a web of betrayal and violence stretching from Virginia to Atlanta.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Crime Scene & Initial Investigation

• The Knock at the Door

  • January 18, 2017: Lamont Baldwin is with his wife and teenage daughter when a woman knocks, asking for "Mont" (Lamont’s nickname). After confirming, shots ring out. Lamont is fatally wounded outside his home.
    • [03:00] Anna Sega Nicolasi: "Someone knocked at their front door and the couple's teenage daughter answered. It was a woman asking for Mont..."
  • The 911 call from Lamont's distraught daughter is played, highlighting the immediate trauma for his family.
    • [01:30, 03:52] Lamont Baldwin’s Daughter: "They shot my dad. Somebody is shot. Please, hurry. Please..."

• Quick Police Response

  • Officers secure the scene, gather basic witness accounts (wife and daughter) who saw a woman but couldn't describe the shooters.
  • Crime scene yields nine cartridge casings and a cell phone—a potential lead.
    • [11:59] Matthew Ackley: "Nine, I believe, cartridge cases fired from a semiautomatic pistol in the front yard..."

The Victim and Early Theories

• Lamont Baldwin: Community Figure with a Complicated Past
  • Baldwin was a calm, steady father of four, often mediating disputes.
  • Revealed to have a history in local drug distribution—primarily cocaine.
    • [09:41] Matthew Ackley: "He had had many run-ins with the law over the years, primarily in drug context."
• Prosecutorial Hurdles
  • Family reticent to reveal his criminal dealings, complicating motive investigation.
  • Investigators initially suspect robbery, drug dispute, or retaliation for suspected police cooperation.

The Breakthrough: The Cell Phone

• A Digital Goldmine

  • The flip phone has no password; investigators dive into its photos and contacts.
    • [13:08] Matthew Ackley: "It had photos on it that appeared to show someone with a large wad of currency and a black pistol handle..."
  • Timestamps show the photos taken the night before the murder, at a motel near Baldwin’s home.

• Connecting the Dots

  • Digital evidence (bus tickets, phone numbers) shows travel from Atlanta to Henrico just before the murder.
  • A suspect emerges: Antonio Johnson (“Rampage”), known to Atlanta police for drugs and firearms.
    • [17:37] Matthew Ackley: "Through Atlanta's police database, they were able to develop the name of Antonio Johnson."

The Interviews & Confessions

• Interrogating Antonio Johnson

  • Johnson initially vague, then—after being confronted with evidence—admits presence at the scene but denies being the shooter.
  • Unique interview tactic: After a cigarette break with Detective Quinn (“University of the streets”), Johnson confesses to being the gunman and claims to be a hired hitman.
    • [22:05] Scott Weinberger: "What happened next, surprised, even Quinn. Johnson said that not only was he at Lamont's house during the murder, he was the person who fired the gun."
    • [22:54] Interviewer: "'Did Derek tell you to do anything?' ... 'He wanted him knocked off.' ... 'He wants him dead.'"

• Deeper Plot Unfolds

  • Johnson states he didn't know Baldwin—he was paid by Derek Lawrence, a mutual associate from Atlanta’s narcotics scene. Another accomplice, Santonio Brown, was involved.

• Efforts to Destroy Evidence

  • Johnson and Brown attempt to burn the murder weapon in a torch at Lawrence's garage upon return to Atlanta.

Motive & Wider Conspiracy

• The Root: A $20,000 Debt

  • Brown, when picked up and questioned, reveals Baldwin owed Lawrence $20,000 from a lost cocaine shipment Baldwin said was stolen in a burglary.
    • [29:39] Anna Sega Nicolasi: "Brown said that Lamont was murdered over a debt owed to Derek Lawrence, one that supposedly stemmed from a shipment of cocaine. The debt equaled a large sum of money, $20,000."
  • Police verify the reported burglary had indeed occurred, corroborating Baldwin’s claim of theft.

• Friendship Betrayed

  • Lawrence and Baldwin were said to be childhood friends, adding a layer of betrayal to the murder.

Building the Case: Prosecution Strategy

• Gathering Evidence

  • Cell phone data, interstate travel records, text messages, confessions, and witness statements all reinforce the case.
  • Forensic challenges and defense maneuvers include attempts to suppress both the confession and the cell phone data as evidence due to alleged privacy and coercion violations.
    • [37:09] Anna Sega Nicolasi: "Suppression motions for things like statements, identifications, and evidence collected are pretty standard..."

• Overcoming Legal Hurdles

  • Prosecutors argue the phone was abandoned; judge allows key evidence.
    • [38:25] Anna Sega Nicolasi: "...abandoned property is exactly one like that. You have no right to privacy to things that are abandoned."

• Jury Management

  • Need to balance negative facts about the victim’s criminal activity with the fundamental notion of justice.
    • [40:01] Matthew Ackley: "...Lamont Baldwin was not living the cleanest life, but he deserves justice for an act of violence that occurs to him just as anyone does."

The Trials & Verdicts

• Trial Proceedings

  • Antonio Johnson tried first, with confession, digital records, and co-defendant’s testimony as core evidence.
  • Santonio Brown cooperates in exchange for reduced charges.
    • [36:03] Scott Weinberger: "He agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of covering up Lamont's murder in exchange for testifying against Johnson."

• Jury Verdict

  • Johnson is quickly convicted of first-degree murder and use of a firearm. He receives a life sentence.
    • [44:31] Anna Sega Nicolasi: "The jury returned their verdict within hours. Antonio Johnson was convicted..."

• Derek Lawrence

  • Tried only on narcotics and firearms charges. Sentenced to 16½ years in federal prison; not tried for Baldwin’s murder.
    • [45:08] Anna Sega Nicolasi: "He was sentenced to 16 and a half years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release."

• Reflections on Evidence

  • The discovery of Johnson’s cell phone is repeatedly cited as the case’s linchpin.
    • [41:10] Matthew Ackley: "What struck me about this case was how fortunate we were with the initial crime scene investigation finding that cell phone. I don't know if we would have figured this case out without that cell phone."

Emotional and Social Fallout

• Witness Trauma
  • Lamont’s teenage daughter testifies, powerfully illustrating the family’s pain in court.
    • [43:15] Scott Weinberger: "When Lamont's teenage daughter took the stand and described watching her father killed right before her eyes, the emotional weight became impossible to ignore."
• Social Commentary
  • Hosts discuss the unique challenges of prosecuting cases where victims are involved in crime, and the lasting trauma for affected families and communities.
    • [46:43] Anna Sega Nicolasi: "...no matter what you think of a particular person, hopefully someone out there loves them. They are a wife, a son, a father, brother, or maybe just a friend."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the specificity of the murder’s intent:

  • [08:51] Matthew Ackley: "They immediately believed this was not random... Lamont was the victim of someone who wanted him dead."

• On the emotional impact for witnesses:

  • [06:07] Anna Sega Nicolasi: "To actually be there, see it... it is, as you're saying, exactly that. It's a whole 'nother level of trauma."

• On the killer’s mindset and tattoos:

  • [42:25] Matthew Ackley: "He had other teardrops around his eyes, which the tattoo and homicide experts will tell you is typically for a completed homicide... there was a fresh tattoo when he was arrested that was still weeping."

• On balancing the facts with seeking justice for all victims:

  • [40:01] Matthew Ackley: "Lamont Baldwin was not living the cleanest life, but he deserves justice for act of violence that occurs to him just as anyone does."

• On the importance of what’s left for the family:

  • [46:00] Scott Weinberger: "The point of telling Lamont's story isn't just to mark who is accountable. It's to honor who is left and to steer families towards real help so healing doesn't get left behind."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Victim’s Family 911 Call: [01:30], [03:52]
• Crime Scene & Cell Phone Discovery: [11:59] – [13:03]
• Suspect ID & Atlanta Connection: [17:11] – [18:19]
• Johnson’s Confession (incl. “knocked off”): [22:05] – [23:38]
• Description of Motive and Friend Betrayal: [29:39] – [32:03]
• Prosecution Challenges and Legal Strategy: [37:09] – [40:01]
• Trial, Verdict, and Sentencing: [44:31] – [45:31]
• Reflection on Victims and Community Loss: [46:00] – [46:43]

Conclusion

The episode highlights the intricacies of investigating and prosecuting a murder tangled in organized crime and old friendships. The story is a stark reminder of the far-reaching and enduring impacts of violence—not just on the direct victim, but on families, children, and communities. While the path to justice was thorny—with hurdles around evidence, privacy rights, and the victim’s checkered past—prosecutors ultimately prevailed, but not without acknowledging the psychological scars left in the crime’s wake.

Final Thought from Nicolazzi:

“No matter what you think of a particular person, hopefully someone out there loves them... The bottom line: human life is precious.” [46:43]