16-Year-Old Brutally Beats, Sodomizes, Sets on Fire Man Mom Accused of Raping Her

Brothers Nathan Johnson, 16, Anthony Johnson, and Brian Johnson Jr. along with their friend, Michael Gunn, brutally beat, sodomized, and set on fire a man they suspected of raping their mother in January 2016. Robert Banks denied the allegations against him even while the teens brutally beat him.

Banks Lured to Home

The four men lured Banks to their home under the pretense of buying drugs. When he arrived, the teens asked Banks if he raped their mother, allegations he denied. Nathan Johnson then attacked Banks, punching and kicking him in the face and body.

Banks attempted to flee from the residence when the attack began but Johnson caught up to him and slammed the door in his face. The attack resumed, all four men now attacking Banks.

The men took turns running from across the room to kick Banks in the head and face as hard as they could as he lay injured on the floor. This shattered Banks’ face. One of the men picked up a plumbing pipe and smashed Banks in the head, splitting it wide open.

Nathan Johnson then sodomized Banks with a flashlight as he begged for mercy and continued to deny raping his mother. The pleas fell on deaf ears and the torture continued.

Johnson and the other brothers then grabbed an electrical cord and tightened it around Banks' neck. Johnson then jumped on Banks’ back and continued to punch and kick the man in the face and body as he tightened the cord and choked the life out of him.

Banks Body Dumped, Set on Fire

Johnson then took numerous photos of Banks’ body using his cell phone and sent them to his mother. He then called his father, Brian Johnson Sr. to tell him they murdered Banks. Johnson Sr. then came to the house and helped them dispose of the body. The men wrapped Banks' body with a blanket and trash bags, loaded him into a vehicle, then dumped his body in the woods. The men then set Banks’ body on fire.

After setting Banks’ body on fire, the men stopped at Circle K and bought drinks. Surveillance footage showed the men laughing, smiling, and “without a care in the world,” according to the prosecutor in the case.

Back at the house, the men tossed the pipe in the trash and burned the clothes Banks wore as well as the mattress they had laid his body on.

Johnson initially denied involvement with the murders but eventually confessed. He gave police grizzly details of the murder and bragged about the “trophy” photos he had taken of the corpse with his cell phone.

Two men walking in the woods found Banks’ charred body the following day.

Sentencing & Case Aftermath

Nathan was sentenced to 75-years behind bars for the brutal murder. Brian and Anthony each received a life term for their involvement in the murder of Banks. Johnson Dr. faced up to 30-years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to charges of accessory after the fact in a capital felony and abuse of a corpse. After agreeing to testify against his sons, however, Johnson was sentenced to eight years in prison. The state did not call Johnson Sr. to testify at any of his son’s trials.

Resources & More Case Information:

https://www.theledger.com/story/news/crime/2018/07/30/lakeland-teen-gets-75-years-for-brutal-death-of-man-who-was-beaten-sodomized-and-set-on-fire/11185211007/

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-polk-homicide-robert-banks-20160309-story.html

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