Episode 321

Summary

Sword and Scale – Episode 321

Air Date: October 9, 2025
Theme: The horrifying murder of Erica Huff—a disabled mother who opened her door to someone she trusted—and the devastating consequences of misplaced kindness.

---

Overview

This Sword and Scale episode explores the brutal 2015 murder of Erica Huff, a 41-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis, and the savage assault on her mother, Denise Johnson, in Youngstown, Ohio. The episode peels back the layers of a seemingly routine medical call that spiraled into arson, homicide, and a twisted betrayal. Told through raw audio, 911 calls, court testimony, and interviews with investigators and survivors, the story captures both the monsters lurking in plain sight and the resilience of those who survive.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Background: Erica Huff’s Life and Vulnerability

• Erica Huff: 41, mother, disabled by multiple sclerosis, living alone but cared for by her mother, stepfather, and home health aides.

  • “Perhaps the hardest part for Erica wasn't her own suffering. It was the fact she couldn't care for her five year old daughter.” (05:05 Narrator)

• Family Dynamics:

  • Her daughter was being raised mostly by Erica's mother, Denise, and stepfather, Lonnie Johnson.

2. The Night of the Attack: Emergency Calls and Chaos

• First Response:

  • 2:00am: Erica’s medical alert is triggered. An ambulance is dispatched.
  • Paramedics are waved off by a man outside, claiming “everything's fine”—they never check on Erica. (11:40 Detective Ron Rodway)

• Lonnie Johnson’s 911 Call (07:00):

  • Lonnie, Erica’s stepfather, grows anxious after his wife, Denise, doesn’t return from Erica’s. He arrives and hears frantic screams—interprets “run, run” as a warning, and calls 911.

• Discovery:

  • Police arrive to find the house on fire, pull Denise Johnson (badly beaten) from the window, find Erica dead, and discover a man—Lance Hunley—hiding under a dining table with a bag of bloody clothes.

3. The Investigation: Who Is Lance Hunley?

• Connection:

  • Hunley is the brother of Erica’s daughter’s father (Greg Hundley) and had been living with Erica for about a month.
  • “He just preyed upon her… probably she was probably a nice, sweet person, you know, felt bad for the guy.” (59:56 Detective Ron Rodway)

• Troubled Guest:

  • House aides report Hunley as controlling, hostile when rebuffed, and increasingly unwelcome. Erica had recently decided to ask him to leave.

4. The Crime, Survived and Recounted

• What Happened (from Denise’s Testimony):

  • Denise arrives to check on her daughter, finds Hunley with a gas can.
  • “He came around the corner with a hammer and just started beating me unmercifully… He said, ‘All of you have just ditched me and I’ve got to kill you.’” (01:12 & 45:48 Denise Johnson)
  • Denise survives a brutal assault, is stabbed and strangled, then regains consciousness after being left for dead as the house burns, escapes with the help of police.

• Erica’s Fate:

  • Beaten, stomped, strangled, and set on fire.
  • “She had a lacerated liver, broken ribs… blunt force… ligature marks. And the ligature was still around her neck…” (25:12 Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa)

• Hunley’s Crime Scene Duplicitousness:

  • Hunley tries to cover up the crime by setting the fire, pretends to be a victim upon police arrival.

5. The Legal Battle: Investigation and Trial

• Investigation:

  • Overwhelming physical and forensic evidence: Hunley's DNA, bloody clothing, witnesses.
  • Surviving victim (Denise) provides a clear account.

• Trial Turmoil:

  • Hunley cycles through multiple lawyers, argues for insanity, is disruptive in court, and ultimately insists on representing himself, then offers an implausible defense blaming masked intruders or even Denise.

  • “I wasn’t the only one in that house…” (33:16 Lance Hunley/Detective Rodway)

  • “He became so angry in court, he had to be restrained.” (39:33 Narrator)

  • Denise's Testimony:

    • Testifies at trial, describing the attack, Hunley’s confession, and her miraculous survival (50:57 Narrator)

6. Verdict and Sentencing

• Conviction:

  • Found guilty of aggravated murder, attempted murder, and aggravated arson.
  • Jury recommends, and judge upholds, the death penalty: “He should die for the murder of Erica Huff, as well as the attempted murder of Huff's mother, Denise Johnson.” (55:18 Narrator)

• Aftermath:

  • Hunley maintains innocence, appeals fail, sits on death row as of 2025.

---

Motive and Psychological Insights

• Prosecutor’s View:

  • Lance killed because Erica was pressuring him to leave and he felt cornered.
  • “I think Lance committed this crime because Erica was pressuring him to leave… in his mind, he was backed into a corner.” (56:28 Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa)

• Detective's Take:

  • An act of monstrous entitlement and sociopathy against someone vulnerable, possibly fueled by jealousy and resentment.

• Denise’s Reflection:

  • “He hated us. We were everything in life that he may have wanted and didn’t have.” (58:44 Denise Johnson)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kindness & Betrayal:

  • “That’s what entitlement does to people. They think they’re owed by the world, and when they don’t get what they want, they decide to just go ahead and take it anyway.” (57:14 Narrator)
  • “Erica’s murder is a chilling reminder that evil doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes it wears the face of someone you trust. And sometimes the kindest hearts pay the highest price.” (60:14 Narrator)

• The Survivor’s Bravery:

  • “He came around the corner with a hammer and just started beating me unmercifully… He said… ‘All of you have just ditched me and I’ve got to kill you.’” (01:12 & 45:48 Denise Johnson)
  • “I realized I felt flames, so I started patting it out… I went to the window and started pulling the sides of the air can… They said, ‘Ma’am, we gotta pull you out of here.’ I said, ‘I’m ready to go. Just take me.’ And they pulled me through the window.” (49:11 – 49:59 Denise Johnson)

• On Hunley’s Defense:

  • “Why do they always think you’re crazy when you’re actually stupid? Beats me.” (40:39 Narrator)

---

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• Erica’s Life & Background: 04:32–05:05
• First Emergency Call: 02:39–04:04
• Lonnie Johnson's 911 Calls: 07:00–08:05
• Discovery of Fire/Crime Scene: 09:00–12:47
• Initial Identification of Hunley as Suspect: 25:43–27:37
• Detectives Reconstruct Timeline: 33:16–36:08
• Denise’s Statement & Survival Story: 44:36–50:27
• Hunley’s Courtroom Behavior & Defense: 39:05–41:48, 51:31–54:12
• Verdict and Sentencing: 54:33–55:44
• Motivation and Reflections: 56:28–60:14

---

Tone and Style

The episode maintains a chilling but methodical tone, painting vivid pictures with survivor testimony and forensic details. The narrative commentaries are laced with irony, dark humor, and a profound sense of tragedy, echoing Sword and Scale's hallmark style.

---

Summary

This episode is a haunting mediation on the dangers of misplaced trust, the vulnerability of the disabled, and the monstrousness found not in strangers but in those welcomed into our lives. Through the unflinching voice of survivors and the dogged work of investigators, listeners are confronted with the brutal reality that “sometimes the kindest hearts pay the highest price.”

---

For a more detailed investigation or to hear survivor Denise Johnson’s unbreakable spirit firsthand, listen from [44:36] onward.

Transcript

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Limu Emu and Doug. Limu and I always tell you to customize your car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. But now we want you to feel it. Cue the Emu music. Limu.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

Save yourself money today.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Increase your wealth.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

Customize and save.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

We save. That may have been too much feeling.

[Narrator]

Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Very underwritten by.

[Narrator]

Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. Affiliates excludes Massachusetts.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Time is precious and so so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 247 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch. You'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.

[Narrator]

Sword and Scale contains adult themes and violence and is not intended for all audiences.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Listener discretion is advised.

[Denise Johnson]

He came around the corner with a hammer and just started beating me unmercifully. Just beating me and beating me and the blood was just gushing. He said, all of you have just ditched me and I've got to kill you.

[Narrator]

You've likely heard the phrase kindness is its own reward. This is a belief many of us have that good deeds might bring a little good karma and that helping someone in need is just the right thing to do. Most of the time, that belief proves true. But not always. Sometimes kindness is twisted into something dark and ruthless. A simple favor can spiral into a choice that should never have been made. There's another saying, one that speaks to the crueler side of fate. No good deed goes unpunished. And in the rarest, most brutal cases, an act of generosity doesn't only lead to regret. It leads to suffering. It leads to bloodshed. It leads to death.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

This is Guardian Medical. Do you dispatch for medical and police or. That's a different number. Okay, we have a medical alert for client at 44 Cleveland Street.

[Narrator]

At around 2:00am on November 6, 2015 in Youngstown, Ohio, 911 dispatch received a call from the health care provider Guardian Medical. They requested that an ambulance be sent to the home of one of their clients.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Okay, what's going on there? We had the medical alert to go off and we did not receive a response over the phone or over the two way. And can you tell me about the patient here or. The only thing I'm showing Is that she has Ms. And cannot walk. And the age they have found is 41. What's her name? Erica Huff.

[Narrator]

After this call came in, an ambulance was quickly dispatched to the home of 41 year old Erica Huffman.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Guardian medical call. They want you to go to 44 Cleveland Street. The alarm went off there. And they didn't say what was wrong or anything? No, they didn't make any contact with her. It's a 41 year old female, Erica Huff. She has Ms. And cannot walk. Yeah, I think we've been there before. 44 Cleveland.

[Lance Hunley]

Right.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Okay, get them over there. Thank you.

[Narrator]

This wasn't the first time emergency services had been called to Erica's house. And on the surface, it seemed like just another routine call. But in less than two hours, that assumption would be shattered. What started as a simple ambulance dispatch spiraled into chaos. Three ambulances, two fire trucks and several police officers would descend on Erica's home. Among the many people who arrived was a homicide detective.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

My name is Ron Rodway. My official title. In 2015, I was detective Sergeant with the Youngstown Police Department, assigned to the Homicide bureau. Erica huff was a 41 year old who resided on the south side of Youngstown. She had a severe handicap and health issues. She had multiple sclerosis, Ms. She was bedridden. She did live by herself, but she had home health aides with her. Her mother was pretty active in her life, helping her out.

[Narrator]

Erica Huff relied on a wheelchair to get around and needed daily assistance with even the most basic tasks like bathing, preparing meals and doing laundry. Things most of us take for granted. Living with multiple sclerosis is no walk in the park. The disease, which attacks the brain and spinal cord, can cause extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, severe pain and a host of other debilitating symptoms. Fortunately, Erica had a loving mother and stepfather who cared for her as well as in home caregivers from the company, comfort keepers who checked on her regularly. Perhaps the hardest part for Erica wasn't her own suffering. It was the fact she couldn't care for her five year old daughter. Her illness made motherhood an uphill battle, forcing her to rely on her mom and stepdad to raise the little girl. No matter how much she loved her child, multiple sclerosis had stolen the simple joys of being a hands on parent. But despite all these challenges, Erica did her best to push through each day. Then on November 6, 2015, her already challenging life turned into a nightmare.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

On November 6, 2015, the first call, I believe, went out around 2 o' clock in the morning, 2 o' clock a.m. it was a medical alert from the home of Erica Huff on Cleveland Street. EMTs and an ambulance responded to the home.

[Narrator]

That morning. Erica's life alert necklace was activated, triggering an ambulance dispatch. For the next hour or so, all was quiet. The responding paramedics never requested assistance or called in an update. Then at around 2:45am 911 received a second call, this time from a man named Lonnie Johnson.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Next town I won. Yeah, this is Lonnie at 44 Cleveland. My wife come over because of my daughter. Her daughter's lawn went off, and so she came over here to see what's going on. And then it was taking so long. Each time I called, nobody answered. So I came over here and she hollered, run, run. And she screamed real loud. And I'm almost at the door, but the lights are off now. I don't know what's going on in that house. I don't want to go in there. And something bad didn't happen. I need the cops to come to 44 Cleveland street in Youngstown, Ohio. Okay. Are you still there, though? Yeah, I'm about. Maybe two or three colleagues away from that house because. What was your name? Lonnie Johnson junior. She. She screamed and told me to run, Lonnie, run. And I. I went to go to the door and I turned around and called, come back and call. You guys called something. And then the lights. Everything is off in that house. The lights are off, so I don't know what's going on. I need some help. Okay, listen, somebody out. Okay, Carry, please.

[Narrator]

Following Lonnie's call, police were sent to Erica's house. But their arrival wasn't as fast as Lonnie had hoped.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

J Town911. Yeah, I just called not long ago and asking for a police to come to 44 Cleveland Street. They're on their way. Oh, wow. Okay.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

Okay. Okay, bye.

[Narrator]

Growing impatient, Lonnie called 911 a second time. Meanwhile, dispatchers were struggling to understand why police were being sent to the same address where an ambulance had already been dispatched. Why hadn't they heard anything from the paramedics on scene?

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Did you transport the lady from 44 Cleveland? 44 Cleveland. Oh, that was the medical alarm? Yeah. No, it was false alarm. Oh, okay. Yep, it was a false alarm. Once we finally got there, it was false. They didn't take her nowhere.

[Narrator]

Strangely, the ambulance paramedics reported the initial call as a false alarm. But when police showed up about an hour later, it was immediately obvious that something Was terribly wrong. Smoke was pouring out of Erica's windows. Her house was on fire. Officers quickly requested fire trucks and more ambulances.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I think we need you back at 44 Cleveland. Okay, what's going on there? Okay, I sent you guys there before for an alarm and now the police were called there. Some guy called the police there and they saying there's a deceased female. Okay, I don't know. They got the fire department on the way there now to gain entry to get into send two ambulances. I don't know what's going on. They're asking for two. Yes, sir.

[Narrator]

Not long after arriving on scene, the responding police officers made a chilling discovery. They found a dead body.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I still don't know. He was saying there was a dead body there. Then they asked for the fire department and then they asked for another ambulance. Yeah, now my car got on scene and said that there's a occupied structure fire there. We only sent one truck. We didn't call for no. Yeah, now they're calling for another ambulance. Now they're requesting ladder Truck and Battalion 2.

[Lance Hunley]

So I'm not sure exactly what's going on.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I just wanted to give you a.

[Narrator]

Heads up since fire department is involved.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And there's a dead body there.

[Narrator]

As more cops, firefighters and paramedics arrived, dispatchers scrambled to gather information, trying to make sense of the chaos. But one detail stood out. The original emergency call had been dismissed as a false alarm. But why? What had actually happened with the first ambulance?

[Detective Ron Rodway]

What do they have going on up there? Okay, they got a medical alarm, they sent a 55 and 55, got there, said it was a false alarm. Ex husband goes there, knocks on the door, somebody says run. He calls unknown trouble. They get there and say they have a dead female. They have a dead female there. Apparently that's what the officer said when they got there. Okay, that's all they know. They're the dead female death. How did you guys determine that it was a false alarm on Cleveland Street? They actually. Our crew just told us that a 30 something or so year old male answered the door and said, yeah, everything's fine. It was a false alarm. A 30 something ish year old male. 30 something year old male. Right. Answered the door and said everything was okay. It was a fault.

[Narrator]

Yeah. It turned out that when paramedics reached Erica's home, a man waved them off, insisting there was no emergency. Without verifying anything, the paramedics left, never checking on Erica, never stepping inside her house. That decision would prove to be disastrous eventually. Detective Ron Rodway Arrived on the scene and spoke with the responding officers. He began trying to make sense of the mayhem.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Officers were dispatched to the Cleveland street residence. When they arrived, they, of course, were going around the perimeter of the house. They heard and then noticed that the air conditioning unit out of one of the bedrooms was being pushed out. We got there, it was. It was weird. You hear the alarm going off, and we go to the back, and then someone was trying to push out the air conditioner in the back. Huh. And we opened the window and ripped the air conditioner out, Pulled this woman out, and she was bloody head to toe. And then the other woman was in there dead. And that's when they made entry into the house and discovered two victims in the house.

[Narrator]

As officers approached the back of the burning home, they spotted movement. A person was trying to escape the house by pushing an air conditioner out of a window. Police rushed to assist, pulling a bloodied woman from the bedroom window. She'd been beaten nearly to death. Inside that same room, lying on the floor and surrounded by flames, was another woman. She was dead. Her body was battered, her skin singed by the growing fire. The police pushed into the house through the back door. In the dining room, they found yet another person, A man collapsed under a table, seemingly unconscious.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Our guys went there for unknown trouble. Found a deceased female, appears to be beaten to death. Found another email, beat almost to death. Found a male, almost. Almost dead. They're not real sure what happened with him. And the house was on fire. Somebody set the house on fire. Trying to cover it up. No. Yeah. So FD is trying to put the fire out without disturbing the crime scene too much.

[Lance Hunley]

But we got at least one dead.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Right now and two that are circling the drain.

[Narrator]

In total, three people were pulled from Erica's burning home. Two women and a man. One of them had already lost their life, and the two others were rushed to a nearby hospital. As firefighters worked to put out the fire, Detective Ron Rodway prepared for what he knew would be a long, grueling investigation. By the time the case was closed, multiple charges had been filed, including murder and attempted murder. And in the end, thanks to the relentless efforts of investigators, a violent and ruthless killer would face the ultimate punishment.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And Doug Limu and I always tell you to customize your car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. But now we want you to feel it. Cue the emu music. Limu, Save yourself money today. Increase your wealth.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

Customize and save.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

We save. That may have been too much feeling.

[Narrator]

Only pay for what you need at.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Liberty Mutual.com Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Very Underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates Excludes Massachusetts Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 24,7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.

[Narrator]

On the morning of November 6, 2015, an ambulance was dispatched to the home of 41 year old Erica Huff, who suffered from multiple sclerosis. But when the paramedics arrived, a man outside the house waved them off, insisting there was no emergency and that Erica was fine. They left without ever stepping inside.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Okay, originally at 2 o' clock we got a call from the medical alarm people. Guardian medical said that there was an alarm and they didn't have any contact with the person living at that house. So I had to send an ambulance. It was a medical alarm. The ambulance responded and they cleared it. Some guy answered the door when they got there and said that it was a false alarm, everything was okay, and sent them away. And then all hell broke loose.

[Narrator]

Shortly after paramedics drove away, a chilling 911 call came in. This time it wasn't a request for an ambulance, it was a call for police.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And then almost an hour later, I looked up and the address is on the screen again. This guy named Ronnie called and he said that he got to the door, somebody yelled run. The house was dark and he didn't know what was going on. So that's when she put in unknown trouble.

[Narrator]

Officers responded to the call unsure of what they were walking into. When they arrived, they found part of the house was on fire. Before the flames spread, they managed to pull two women from the home. Both had been savagely beaten, their bodies drenched in blood. One of them was dead and the other was barely clinging to life. Eventually, a Youngstown, Ohio prosecutor joined the investigation and the deceased woman's identity was confirmed. It was Erica Huff.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

My name is Dawn Cantalamesa. In 2015, I was the chief trial counsel for the Mahoning County Prosecutor's office. In 2015, Erica Huff was 41 years old. She was a mother, a sister, a daughter. As she lived in Youngstown, Ohio. She had debilitating Ms. And she was in a wheelchair at that Point, she hadn't always been in a wheelchair, but at that point she was. And she had some home health care aides that would come and help her get ready for bed and cook and do other things around the house. She had a five year old daughter who stayed with her parents also in Youngstown town, and she would visit often with her daughter, but she needed care to help her do everything from day to day.

[Narrator]

The woman who had survived the brutal attack was Erica's mom, 68 year old Denise Johnson. She had been beaten nearly to death before the fire broke out.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

Denise Johnson was Erica Hough's mother. She was, was retired I believe at the time, but she had taken on a lot. So when Erica went to a wheelchair and had to sort of give up custody of her child to her parents, Denise had retired and she was with Erica's stepfather at the time, Lonnie Johnson, and they lived in Youngstown and took care of Denise's daughter.

[Narrator]

Erica's five year old daughter depended on her grandmother Denise and her step grandfather, Lonnie Johnson for care. Erica's illness made it impossible to raise the little girl alone and her parents took on the role of primary caregivers while also assisting Erica with her daily needs. They were devoted, loving people. But on that horrific morning, tragedy struck. Erica was found dead in her bedroom, beaten so severely that she never stood a chance. And as if that wasn't enough, the killer had set the house on fire to cover up the crime. With Denise barely alive and rushed to the hospital, police turned to the only person left to question, Erica's stepfather, lonnie Johnson. At 76 years old, he was brought to the station for an interview with the homicide detective, Ron Rodway.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

From what we understand, your wife's daughter, your stepdaughter, her name is Erica Huff, is that correct? That's right. And she lives at 44 Cleveland Street. That's true. She's suffering from MS, is that correct? Yeah, she has MS, okay. Pretty bad. Advanced her bad. Some wheelchair to the beds, to the wheelchair. Okay. And she can't walk. She have people come and even clean her up. She can't even walk. No, she can't take a step. And I believe Comfort Keepers is one of the companies that comes in and.

[Narrator]

Takes care of her.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Yes.

[Narrator]

Detectives started with routine background questions before shifting to what really mattered the morning of the attack. Lonnie explained that he'd been asleep at home when it all began.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And it's my understanding somewhere shortly around 2 o' clock this morning, your stepdaughter wears A medical alert. And that medical alert went off. Right. Rural Metro Ambulance Company was notified, and your wife was notified, is that correct?

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I'm assuming you folks were sleeping when you got the call. Oh, yeah. Okay. And then your wife gathered herself together and went over to the house? Yes.

[Narrator]

She said, I'm going to go over.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And turn that alarm off. Now. Does it go off a lot? Is that something that happens every now and then? But she went over before and pushed a button and, you know, took care of it. Right.

[Narrator]

But she said that you stay home with the granddaughter.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Erica's daughter stays with us 95% of the time. Right.

[Narrator]

And she said, you stay with her.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Because I don't want her to wake up and we're both gone. Right.

[Narrator]

And I said, okay. When Erica's Life Alert necklace was triggered, the healthcare company Guardian Medical was notified, as was Erica's mom. Without hesitation, Denise got out of bed, got dressed, and rushed out to check on her daughter. Before she left, she told Lonnie to stay behind so that Erica's daughter wouldn't be left home alone. He agreed. But as time passed and Denise didn't return, Lonnie grew uneasy. Something felt wrong. He decided to go to Erica's house.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Himself about 15, 20 minutes.

[Narrator]

So I said, you know, let me.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Get in the truck and go over and see what's going on. When you first got there, you walked up to the front door? That's right. Okay. Did you go in the house? Did you knock on the door? No, I went to reach for the door to open it and thought it would be open. And she said, no, run, run. Did you see your wife or just heard her? I just heard her. Okay, so you never actually made it through the threshold? I never made it through the threshold.

[Lance Hunley]

Was the door completely closed the entire.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Time you were there? I didn't get a chance to touch it. I went to reach for.

[Lance Hunley]

It was close?

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

It was closed? Yes, sir.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

It was closed. And basically what you heard was, run, Lonnie, run.

[Denise Johnson]

Run.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I told you to run. And so now when you. When you heard her say that, I mean, you automatically assumed there was something. Something wrong. So I turn around and I parked the car and I called 91 1.

[Narrator]

As Lonnie approached Erica's front door, he heard Denise's voice, but her words were garbled and frantic. He thought she was telling him to run. Later, he would be told that she was actually screaming for help, but in that moment, all he heard was the urgency. Panicked, he turned and ran and called 911 by the time police arrived, the house was in flames.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

They respond to the house. They go around the back. They see some smoke coming out of the window. They're able to tell that an air conditioner unit was partially pushed out. The wind. They then remove that air conditioning unit and pull Erica's mom from the window.

[Narrator]

Officers pulled Denise from the burning home. She was barely alive, her body battered and soaked in blood. Then they found Erica.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

They were able to go back in that room or see in that room that there's another body laying on the floor. They put that fire out and or partially put that fire out. And they're able to tell that Erica is now deceased.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

When she was found, a fire had been set in the bedroom where she was at. She was burned. She did have some severe blunt force trauma. We later found out that she had been stomped on severely on her stomach. There was a lot of internal bleeding, which was one of the causes of death. And she'd also been strangled.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

The coroner testified that she had a lacerated liver, broken ribs, and evidence that she had been kicked in her stomach or stomped on. And then she had blunt force to her head. And then she had the ligature marks. And the ligature was still around her neck when she was laying on the floor in her room.

[Narrator]

As police moved towards the backyard, something strange caught their attention. They caught a glimpse of a man who had closed the back door.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

When they come around the back door to see if there's anyone else in the house, they're met by a male trying to come out the door. He then pulls the door shut on them and then they have to break in the door and they find that male hiding under the dining room table with a duffel bag next to him.

[Narrator]

It didn't take long for police to realize what was happening. The man had been trying to escape, but the police had arrived too quickly, trapping him inside.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Well, that's the guy that was laying near the door when we got here. Oh, I think we got here too quick because when they got here they said, look, there's someone out there. He shut the back door.

[Narrator]

Officers forced the door open and entered the smoke filled room. Lying under the dining room table was a man in his 40s. His name was Lance Hunley.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

46 year old Lance Hunley was from Washington D.C. he was coming and staying in Youngstown. He was brother to Erica Huff's child's father. So Erica Huff had a child with Greg Hundley.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

This gentleman, Lance. His name is Lance Hunley. But according to what you Folks and Jonathan were telling us his brother is the father of your little grandchild. That's true. Okay, so there is some connection with this guy. And apparently, from what we're getting, he had nowhere to live. And your daughter has allowed him to come and live with her for the last three to four weeks, is that correct? That's right. I noticed on his ID that he had an address in Warren, Ohio. Well, that was his.

[Narrator]

Where he was staying with his brother.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Is that where the grandchild's father stays?

[Narrator]

That's right.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

So he was staying with him.

[Narrator]

He was staying with him.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And he said it was too many people over there, so he couldn't sleep because he was working at night. Right. And so that's when he asked Erica, can I come and stay with you?

[Narrator]

As investigators dug into Hundley's past, they uncovered his connection to Erica. He was the brother of Erica's daughter's father. When Hunley first moved to Youngstown, he stayed with his brother. But that arrangement fell apart. Needing a place to live, he turned to Erica. She agreed to take him in. It was a decision that would later cost her everything.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Now, over the last three or four weeks, I mean, has there been anything that Erica said? I mean, was she concerned about this guy at all? Did she say anything about erratic behavior?

[Narrator]

She said to Denise and I that.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

He was complaining about the girls that come to clean her up. He said, they're not your friends. He said they got to do their job. And he complained about that a couple times. But Erica, I mean, in the last three to four weeks, has not complained about him. One thing she complained about him trying to tell her with the Comfort Keepers. What?

[Narrator]

The Comfort Keepers.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And that's her job, to take care of them. But she never, like, said anything like, oh, I'm afraid of this guy. He's threatened me. Nothing like that. Has he ever had words with your wife before? No. No, not that I know of. No. Right.

[Narrator]

At first, Hundley wasn't the worst housemate, but he did have a troubling personality. Erica's in. Home healthcare workers later revealed that he was controlling and bossy. They claimed that when they rejected his unwanted advances, his behavior turned hostile. And one of them eventually refused to go to Erica's house if Hunley was there. Erica eventually realized she couldn't keep him around and planned on asking Lance to leave.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Hey, listen, we're gonna be getting warrants on this guy at the hospital this morning, okay? Okay. Is he just being treated and released, or he just, you know, I Don't know he's being there. He's under observation. I don't think that. Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with him. Just scamming. Yes. Okay.

[Narrator]

After being pulled from the burning home, Hundley was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. But as soon as doctors cleared him, he was escorted straight to the Youngstown police station for questioning.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Okay. I am Detective Sergeant Ron Rodway. Okay. And your name, sir, is? Lance. L, A, N, C, E. Sir? Yes. Lance, could you take a few minutes and leave that alone and talk to us here? Sure. I mean, I can multitask. Well, we don't want you to multitask. We want to talk to you and pay attention. Then you can look at that all you want, sir.

[Narrator]

Hunley knew he was in trouble when detectives began the interview. He feigned distraction, pretending to be preoccupied with his hospital paperwork. It was an obvious attempt to downplay the gravity of his situation. Perhaps he thought acting indifferent would convince them he wasn't capable of brutally murdering a disabled woman. It didn't work.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Would you like to speak with us, sir, about this incident? Yeah, while I'm here. Okay, well, we're gonna explain that to you. That's what I need to. Okay, we're explaining everything to you, Lance. Where do you live, sir? Well, right now I was staying at Erica House.

[Narrator]

Erica house?

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Yeah. 40, 14. You were staying there? Yes. And how long were you staying there, sir? I'm staying for a little over a month. About a month. Okay, a little over a month.

[Narrator]

How do you know Erica?

[Detective Ron Rodway]

How did you come to live there?

[Lance Hunley]

Her.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Daughter is my niece. My brother and her had a relationship. Now, I know you've been living there around a month, but how long have you known Erica? Have you known her for quite a long time?

[Narrator]

I've been knowing her for years.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

My niece would be six. I've been knowing her about eight. Probably.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

I don't know.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Probably been, I don't know, maybe eight years. About eight years. You know her? Do you have a pretty good relationship with her? Of course. Okay.

[Narrator]

Detectives started gathering background details. Then they cut to the chase. The events leading up to Erica's death.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Were you at home at 44 Cleveland last evening? Excuse me? Were you home at 44 Cleveland last evening at some point? Yes, I was. Thursday evening? Thursday evening, I was in and out. Okay. But at some time, did you come home for the night, like, to go to bed and that kind of stuff? Oh, yeah. Okay. Let's just speed it up more. I want to know When I got home. What time did you get home last night? What happened? Yes, I got home. I don't know. I left the bar. What bar? Southern. Southern Tavern. Southern Tavern. So you went from the Southern Tavern to home? That's right. Right up the street. Okay. Do you remember about what time that might have been? Don't. Closing time or didn't look at my watch. Don't have the slightest idea.

[Narrator]

Hunley claimed that he'd spent the night drinking at a bar before coming home. Beyond that, he refused to say much of anything else. When you got home, you have your.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Own bedroom there, is that correct? That's correct. Okay. Erica has her own bedroom. That's correct. When you got home, was Erica awake? Asleep. Do you remember? Okay, this here, where it gets tricky. Okay. Now my question to you. Okay. Am I under arrest at this time? Yes. Okay. Okay. I think at this. And I'm. I kind of figured out something from the police officer. Erica died. Yes. I think I need to get a lawyer. I think I need to stop questioning. Okay.

[Narrator]

Realizing he was cornered, Hundley shut down the interview. He asked for a lawyer. But before the interview ended, he made one bold, desperate claim.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

But I will tell you this. I wasn't the only one in that house. Who else was in the house? I don't know. The person who choked me out. One second. You just told us you don't want to talk to us now. That's it. That's it. Y' all do y' all job. I just. I just. But you understand, you either talk to us or you don't. You don't want to speak, right?

[Lance Hunley]

I'm.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I'm arrested for murder, apparently. Yes, you are. So I need a. Yeah. Okay, well, let's see. Saw communication at this point now. Okay, I just want to let you know there was another person in that house.

[Narrator]

This claim would become the foundation of Hunley's defense. He insisted he wasn't the killer. Someone else, he said, had murdered Erica and nearly beaten Denise to death. But the detectives weren't buying it. And thanks to Denise's survival, they didn't have to.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Lance Hunley had been at a South side bar, according to him. We did go and interview people at the bar, but Lance Hunley had returned to the residence on Cleveland Street. And it appears that Lance Huntley had strangled Erica, had taken her and thrown her out of bed, beat her and stomped her with his feet. I mean, kicked her so badly she had internal bleeding inside her stomach, then had gone to the garage and got A gas can spread gasoline around the bedroom. During this time, Denise Johnson had got the report of the life alert had come to the house. When she entered the house, she observed Lance Hunley standing there with a gas can, asked him what he was doing with the gas can. She took the gas can from Hunley, took it out to the garage. When she entered back into the kitchen area from the garage, Hundley attacked her with a claw hammer and hit her numerous times in the head. Told Denise he had killed, he had killed her daughter and was going to kill her. Actually produced a knife at this time and put it to her throat, drug Denise into the bedroom and threw her down on top of her daughter who was smoldering from the, from the fire.

[Narrator]

Lance Hunley had savagely beaten Erica Huff, murdering her in cold blood. When Denise arrived to check on her daughter, he turned on her as well, intending to finish her off. But before he could, Lonnie showed up, forcing Hunley to scramble. Then came the police. Lance's attempt to set the house on fire and erase the evidence had failed.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

So the police arrive before Hunley could make it out of the house. So Hundley determined he, he cleaned up, put some clothing in a bag of the clothing with blood on it and then he laid down in the dining room. And when officers arrived, he acted like he was a, a victim of this crime.

[Narrator]

Detective Ron Rodway didn't have to speculate because Denise Johnson survived. Though she was critically injured, she lived to tell him exactly what happened that morning.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Denise Johnson did survive the attack. She had been hit numerous times in the head with a hammer. Believer Injuries included a fractured skull, you know, severe lacerations. I mean, when I saw her at the hospital, she, she looked horrific, but by the next day, I mean, she was quite a strong woman and I mean, was able to come back pretty quickly from the injuries and was very, very helpful in the, you know, outcome of this case.

[Narrator]

Later, Denise would give an official recorded statement and nearly three years after the attack, she would stand in front of a jury, face her daughter's killer and tell them the truth. In the end, the jury had to make a decision not about guilt, but about whether or not Lance Hunley deserved to die.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

Sam.

[Narrator]

In 2018, prosecutors in Youngstown, Ohio were preparing for a murder trial. A lot of that going around in Ohio. Their target was 48 year old Lance Hunley. He was accused of savagely beating 41 year old Erica Huff to death and nearly doing the same to her mother. 68 year old Denise Johnson. Given the brutality and the heinous nature of the crimes, prosecutors had made their decision. This wasn't just a murder case. This was a death penalty case.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

When you have the defendant or the suspect at the scene with a duffel bag full of his bloody clothes, and he's killed and attempted to kill two or more persons, this is one of those cases where we knew the death penalty specification might be on the table.

[Narrator]

Of course, before the trial could begin, Hunley needed a lawyer, and he needed a defense. Neither would come easily.

[Lance Hunley]

Hundley initially claimed he was insane at the time, only to later change his mind. He fired his first set of lawyers after they pressed to have his competency evaluated in July of last year, after his new attorneys asked that he be tested again.

[Narrator]

The issue has to be resolved.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

It cannot be abandoned. I think we all know that I am having some trouble convincing Mr. Hundley of that. Come on. I got something to say. I got something to say.

[Lance Hunley]

Hundley became so angry in court, he had to be restrained.

[Narrator]

As the trial approached, Hundley made things as difficult as possible. He was combative, disruptive, and openly hostile towards the court. He had no interest in working with the public defenders assigned to his case.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I sent you a letter, your honor. Yes, I told you they changed my plea. She's sitting right there. Without my consent. I understand that. Until you submit to a competency examiner. Let me finish. Until you submit to a competency examination. That. That right. Didn't I see your daughter? Didn't he say I was copying.

[Narrator]

And your attorney asked for a second competency evaluation.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I don't want. I never wanted the first one. I understand that. And y' all people trying to make me use. I'm sorry. You are trying to make me do things that I don't want to do. I don't care if you want to.

[Denise Johnson]

Do it or not. I ordered a second copy.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Cheeseback that value.

[Narrator]

And it's going to be done.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Good luck. Now it's going to. You're going to. Good luck.

[Narrator]

After a second competency hearing, the court granted Hunley permission to change his insanity defense. Why do they always think you're crazy when you're actually stupid? Beats me. But there was still the issue of him refusing to accept any of the attorneys provided to him this morning.

[Lance Hunley]

After firing his second set of lawyers, Hundley insisted he could not work with anyone who was local.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

But I specifically asked you, could I get attorneys from Elkins county? And you told me no.

[Lance Hunley]

But the judge said she'd changed her mind and would find Hundley a public defender from out of the area. That seemed to satisfy him. However, less than five minutes later, they were all back again with the defendant asking how long it would take to find new lawyers. The judge couldn't give him an answer.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I'll change. I'll represent myself.

[Lance Hunley]

And even when the judge asked him a series of questions to see if Hunley knew what he was doing, he was insistent.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Your Honor, I'll figure it out.

[Narrator]

I'll figure it out.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Are you sure you do not wish to have a lawyer? I am absolutely positive.

[Narrator]

In the end, Hunley made a drastic decision to represent himself. The court begrudgingly allowed it, appointing standby counsel to assist if needed. With that settled, jury selection began, and soon the trial was underway. Prosecutors went to work laying out their case.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

We used the ambulance drivers to talk about who waved them off when they came to the door, and it was him, obviously, who waved them off. We used the coroner's testimony about what Erica's cause of and manner of death was. We used the police to talk about their investigation and all the different evidence that they collected. We had DNA experts to talk about not only where Erica's DNA would have been, but also where Denise's blood was and where Lance Hunley's DNA was left. And we have the detective kind of round up all the testimony at the end to kind of clean up and make all those connections as to why we think Lance Hunley did this in the first place.

[Narrator]

The forensic and physical evidence against Hunley was overwhelming. But the prosecution had something even more powerful. An eyewitness. One of Hunley's victims had survived. Erica's mom was alive to tell the story.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And Denise, I was actually here Friday morning when you were in the emergency room. And I think you remember talking to me a little bit. You were actually in very bad shape when I talked to you. The doctors were just finishing stitching up at least six lacerations in your head, in your forehead, but you were still conscious, and you were able to talk to me. And you basically told me what had happened that day. And the reason we're here now is we want to memorialize everything. We put everything, especially in a homicide case, we. We do it on DVD tape.

[Narrator]

Three years before Lance Hunley's trial began, Denise Johnson sat in a hospital bed, battered but Alive. It was 2015, just a few days after the nightmare that had unfolded in Erica's home. Denise was recovering from the brutal attack that had left her daughter Dead. Despite the trauma, she spoke to Detective Ron Rodway in a recorded interview.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

So I'm going to take you back to early Friday morning. Now, I know the medical alert went off sometime a few minutes after 2 o' clock in the morning on Friday the 6th Rural Metro Ambulance was dispatched there. They were called. And you also recalled you're a contact person and when you arrived, correct me if I'm wrong, you told me you actually have a key to the house and you went in.

[Denise Johnson]

Yes, When I opened the door, he was in the living room.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And when you say he, Lance Huntley.

[Denise Johnson]

And I said, the Life Alert people, or the Lifeline people called me and I said, where's Erica? He said, she's sleeping. But the room smelled full of gas. I said, why is this gasoline can, you know, the red container here in the living room? I don't know what his answer was because I feistily said gasoline belongs in the garage with the lawnmower. So I walked the gasoline can out to the garage, put it next to the lawnmower, and come back in to go to get ready to check on Erica.

[Narrator]

Denise had no idea what she was walking into that morning. Erica was already dead, her life stolen in a horrific act of violence. And within moments of stepping into the house, Denise found herself face to face with her daughter's killer.

[Denise Johnson]

He came around the corner with a hammer and just started beating me unmercifully, just beating me and beating me. And he said, why did you come? I said, the first alert told me to come, and I, you know, and the blood was gushing, so. And he said, you need to make peace with the Lord. You need to make peace. I said, I have. And he. And the blood was just gushing. And I said, lance, why are you doing this? You're not. He said, all of you have just ditched me and I've got to kill you. And then he's beating and beating. But I heard Lonnie's truck come. I heard Lonnie's truck come, but he was so busy crashing the hammer on my head, he didn't. He didn't hear the truck.

[Narrator]

At 68 years old, Denise fought back with everything she had, but she was up against a man consumed by rage. Then through the chaos, she heard something, a familiar sound. It was her husband's truck pulling up outside.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Your truck, is it kind of loud? Exhaust?

[Narrator]

Yes, it is. So it's got Flowmatics on it.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

It makes a little noise.

[Lance Hunley]

So, like the rumble?

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

Rumble.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Oh, yeah. So in other words, okay, if she was Inside the house, it would not.

[Lance Hunley]

Be uncommon or unreasonable for her to.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Hear truck pull up with the loud motor. Yes, she. That would be distinctive. And she would know that you. Yeah. Matter of fact, when I went to the door, she hollered, lonnie, run. Run.

[Narrator]

Desperate, Denise screamed for help, but Lonnie misheard her. Instead of, help, Lonnie, help. He thought she was shouting at him to run, run. That misunderstanding may have saved his life. If Ronnie had charged into the house instead of running for help, there was no telling how much worse this could have been. Hunley may have killed them both. Of course, the terrible downside of that misunderstanding was that Denise was left alone in the house with Hunley.

[Denise Johnson]

But he continued to beat me, it seemed forever. And then he pulled out a switchblade after he broke the hammer on my.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Head when he pulled it. You saw him pull his switchblade? I know it was a very hectic. Did you feel him stab you?

[Denise Johnson]

No.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Because, you know, you do have a stab wound under here, your upper chest.

[Narrator]

Yes.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

He did stab you?

[Denise Johnson]

I think he did, yes.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Yeah, we saw it in the emergency room that day. There was a puncture wound there.

[Denise Johnson]

Okay.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And.

[Denise Johnson]

And then he started to choke me and drag me into the living room. And I fought and I fought, and I finally couldn't fight. And he took my breath away.

[Narrator]

Hunley strangled Denise until she lost consciousness. Then, as if disposing of garbage, he dragged her lifeless body into Erica's bedroom and tossed her on top of her daughter's corpse. After dowsing the room and gasoline, he struck a match and watched the fire begin to consume the evidence of his crimes. But then something unexpected happened. Denise started to wake up.

[Denise Johnson]

I realized I felt flames, so I started patting it out. Then he came with some alcohol and threw it in my face. And then he walked away. And I went to the window and I started pulling the sides of the air can. I did pet my daughter.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Yes.

[Denise Johnson]

I said, she's still warm. Maybe she's still alive, you know? And I said, we gotta get out of here. And. And then I felt my jacket burning, so I took it off at the good day. But then I reached for the window with the air condition conditioning thing was. And as I'm pulling the sides out, the police apparently were pulling.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Yes, they heard the pulling on it.

[Denise Johnson]

Yes. They said, ma', am, we gotta pull you out of here. I said, I'm ready to go. Just take me. And they pulled me through the window.

[Narrator]

By the time police pulled Denise from the burning house, she was Barely clinging to life, bloodied and gasping for air, she used what little strength she had to plead with them to save Erica. But deep down, she already knew the truth. Her daughter was gone.

[Denise Johnson]

I said, but my daughter has ended here, because I wasn't sure. I kind of knew in my heart she was gone.

[Narrator]

Despite the trauma, Denise's account of what happened on that horrible morning never changed. Three years later, in front of a courtroom packed with jurors, attorneys, and the man who had nearly killed her, she repeated the same truth she had given detectives. She told them exactly what Lance Hunley had done.

[Lance Hunley]

Today, they had the mother of murder victim Erica Huff on the witness stand. When she returned, she says, Hundley began beating her about the head with a hammer. She asked him why he was doing that. He said she claimed in front of the courtroom that Hunley admitted killing her daughter and was going to kill her, too.

[Narrator]

After laying out the physical evidence and presenting Denise's unshakable testimony, the prosecution rested their case. The time had come for Hundley to explain himself and present a defense.

[Lance Hunley]

Hundley told the jury he came to the area in August 2015 and had been staying at Erica Hough's house on the south side of the paying her $200 a month. On the night of November 5, he'd gone to a couple bars, came back, and smoked some marijuana with Erica and fell asleep watching tv.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I'm on the couch. I couldn't see their face.

[Lance Hunley]

Okay.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And they was choking me out from behind. All right.

[Lance Hunley]

Hundley says the attacker used chloroform on him and he blacked out. Coming to in the kitchen, I started.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

To walk towards the back. That's when I seen a guy come out of Erica's room with a gas can.

[Lance Hunley]

Now groggy and frightened, Hundley claims he sees the victim lying on the floor of her bedroom.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And I crawled on her, and I touched her neck. I didn't feel the pulse.

[Narrator]

Hundley took the witness stand and launched into a bizarre theatrical performance. According to him, a masked intruder had attacked him and knocked him unconscious with chloroform. When he came to, he claimed Erica was already dead.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

She told me, lance, it's not too late. We can come up with something to tell the police.

[Lance Hunley]

Hundley says he then started hitting the elderly woman with a hammer, telling prosecutors during cross examination, he was scared.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I was defending. I was defending myself. Oh, you were defending yourself?

[Narrator]

Yes.

[Lance Hunley]

Prosecutors pressed him, asking why, with the house filling with smoke, he didn't try to Escape. Hundley kept saying he didn't know what to do.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I'm under the influence of chloroform.

[Lance Hunley]

Although Hundley was rescued from the burning house, he says he never told anyone but his lawyers this story for nearly three years, insisting today he never killed Erica Huffman.

[Narrator]

In a move as desperate as it was disgusting, Hunley pointed the finger at Denise Johnson. He insinuated that she was somehow involved in her own daughter's murder and that in a moment of panic, he had attacked her with a hammer. The story was ridiculous, incoherent, and it made no sense whatsoever.

[Lance Hunley]

Hundley claiming this morning he was defending himself, that he saw Denise Johnson carrying a gas can coming into the house, didn't know what was going on, and he grabbed a hammer and started hitting her with it, claiming to be defending himself. But this morning, during closing arguments, prosecutors told jurors Hundley concocted the story, hoping to create doubt.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

He beat her, he stomped on her.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And then he strangled her. He then had to get rid of the only witness who came to the house, Denise Johnson.

[Narrator]

Hundley's defense was weak and almost laughable. And after closing arguments, the jury had their say.

[Lance Hunley]

After just three and a half hours of deliberation, jurors returned their verdicts shortly after two. This afternoon, we the jury, find the.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

Defendant Lance Hundley, guilty of aggravated murder.

[Denise Johnson]

And violation of Ohio Revised Code.

[Lance Hunley]

Hundley sat motionless and quiet as the verdicts were read aloud. Guilty in the premeditated death of Erica Huff, the attempted murder of the victim's mother, and aggravated arson for setting fire to the crime scene.

[Narrator]

The verdict surprised no one, except maybe for Hunley, guilty on all counts. But the jury had one more decision to make. Would Lance get to live in the cozy little jail cell, or would he pay the ultimate price for his crimes?

[Lance Hunley]

Just last week, a Mahoning county jury determined that a man from Youngstown should die for his crimes. This morning, Judge Maureen Sweeney determined Lance Hunley offered absolutely nothing during his trial to offset that. This morning, she upheld the jury's decision that he should die for the murder of Erica Huff back in November of 2015, as well as the attempted murder of Huff's mother, Denise Johnson.

[Narrator]

Naturally, Hunley appealed the conviction and the death sentence. In a unanimous decision, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld both. As of April 2025, Lance Hunley sits on death row in Ross County, Ohio. But of course, in today's world and in the state of Ohio, no execution date has been set because haven't you heard? Suicidal empathy is all the rage these days. Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Hanley has never once admitted to what he did. He probably never will. He's maintained his innocence, leaving the question of why unanswered.

[Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamesa]

I think Lance committed this crime because Erica was pressuring him to leave and wanted him to leave, and he had nowhere else to. To go. I don't know what was going on in his head that he felt he couldn't go back to Washington, D.C. where he was from. But apparently, in his mind, he was backed into a corner, and this is the only way out.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

What exactly triggered him? We don't know. You know, he would not confess to this crime, but, you know, we believe he was upset that she was asking him to move out of the house. You know, with my experience and what I felt on this case, he was the sociopath that he was. He just, you know, snapped and started, you know, strangling her and beating her. No reason whatsoever to do what he did to such a severely handicapped woman.

[Narrator]

Prosecutors and detectives have their theories about Hunley's motive. They believe that Lance had been struggling financially, and when Erica told him that he had to move out, something inside of him snapped. Ironically, if anyone had a right to feel beaten down by life, it was Erica. Multiple sclerosis had stolen her ability to walk, her independence, and even her ability to care for her own daughter. But she never once let that turn her into a monster. Not like Hunley, who, on the other hand, let his bitterness fester into something deadly. That's what entitlement does to people. They think they're owed by the world, and when they don't get what they want, they decide to just go ahead and take it anyway. After the attack, Erica's mother shared her own theory, one that dug even deeper into what might have driven Hunley to kill.

[Denise Johnson]

Because we were not his friends. We were everything I think he wanted and didn't have. And then here I go, a week before getting a BMW, and he says, well, why didn't you get a Mercedes? I got what I want now and what I've worked for.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And you've worked all your life, and your husband's worked all his life.

[Denise Johnson]

Exactly.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And both your children are well educated, college graduates. Worked all their lives.

[Denise Johnson]

We did what we wanted. Well, I'm getting one this spring. I said, will you do what you. You want to do? You know, but he was. I could see the resentment in his eyes. He hated us. We were everything in life that he may have Wanted and didn't have.

[Narrator]

It seems that a toxic mix of jealousy, resentment, alcohol and eviction pushed Hunley over the edge. He brutally beat a disabled woman to death and then turned his Fury On a 68 year old mother, nearly killing her as well. Through it all, Hunley never stopped to consider one simple fact. Erica was one of the only people in this world that had ever shown him kindness. She'd given him a home when he needed one. She didn't have to, but she did. And that kindness was repaid with disgusting, brutal violence.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

I mean, out of the goodness of her heart, your daughter allowed him to come there?

[Denise Johnson]

Yes.

[Detective Ron Rodway]

And he's been living there for about a month, right? And he even had his own bedroom there. She was allowed him to stay in. I think he just preyed upon her, you know, I need somewhere to live. I'm your daughter's uncle, you know, just pray. Preyed upon her vulnerability and, you know, probably she was probably a nice, sweet person, you know, felt bad for the guy.

[Narrator]

But like many of us, Erica Huff believed in kindness. She thought helping someone in need was the right thing to do. That's what all those PBS specials tried to teach us, remember? But when she opened her door to a monster named Lance Hundley, she unknowingly let evil inside her home, inside her life. And then it took her life. Nearly silencing her mother as well, in a brutal attempt to erase the truth. But Denise survived. She fought through unbearable pain to tell her daughter's story, to ensure that Hunley would never harm another person again. And perhaps to teach all of us a very important lesson. In the end, her voice put him exactly where he belonged. On death row. Erica's murder is a chilling reminder that evil doesn't always announce itself. Sometimes it wears the face of someone you trust. And sometimes the kindest hearts pay the highest price. Are you a true crime fanatic? Do you wake up at 3 o' clock in the morning suddenly realizing you're purchasing copious amounts of rubber gloves and bleach? If so, head on over to sword and scale dot com. We got a true crime TV show that may be just your thing. For just 20 bucks, you could upgrade. Watch them all on a long weekend and then unsubscribe before the next month's bill comes. But don't tell the boss I told you that, because the guy that runs this place is kind of an. So anyway, the website to that TV show I was talking about is swordscale.com. go check it out. We also have a Android and iPhone app, which we meticulously developed for your pleasure. So if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go launder $17,000 through a locally owned Greek restaurant. Till next week, stay safe.