Model Murdered At Forest Houses

Police have made an arrest in the murder of an aspiring model at Forest Houses. According to the NYPD, Forest Houses resident Davaughn Johnson, 22, was charged in connection with the murder of his girlfriend Aaliyah Alder, 21, which occurred on Monday, March 27 at 10:30 p.m. inside the building’s eighth floor stairwell. Alder, a Mott Haven resident, was discovered dead on arrival by first responders with a single gunshot wound to her head. There were no immediate eyewitnesses at the scene. Johnson faces charges of murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. According to police, Alder visited Forest Houses to settle a dispute with the father of her friend’s child. A physical confrontation with a bladed instrument is alleged to have occurred prior to the shooting. Surveillance footage showed Alder and a female friend entering an elevator minutes before three men, including Johnson, left Forest Houses. It is believed Alder slashed her friend’s boyfriend after he got into a dispute with her friend. The suspected gunman was shown covering his face and having one hand in his pocket while another man accompanying him appeared to have a hand injury and sliced jacket. Alder was an aspiring model looking to turn her life around after being previously arrested for assault, grand larceny and menacing. Photo by Edwin Soto