Cop: Medford murder suspect changed story

At first, a Medford man stuck to his story during police questioning that he had dropped off a missing woman in Bay Shore, telling investigators that his brother would vouch for him, a detective testified Tuesday in Suffolk County Court.

But that changed when detectives picked up Chad Johnson's brother, Det. Michael Soto testified at Johnson's murder trial before Judge Gary Weber.

"He got quiet and said if he could see his brother, he'd tell us the truth," Soto said during questioning by Assistant District Attorney Todd Pettigrew. After a brief, emotional meeting between Chad, his brother, Dartanian Johnson, and officials, Soto said Chad Johnson told a new story about what happened to Jennifer Papain, 26, a North Patchogue prostitute who disappeared after meeting Johnson.

"Detective, you know she's dead," Johnson said, according to Soto. Johnson has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.

Johnson, 23, said he'd paid Papain $80 for a sex act in his girlfriend's car in March 2010, but when she stopped and said his time was up, he got angry and demanded half his money back, Soto said. She refused.

"He reached over and choked her in the front seat," pushing her head against the passenger window until she went limp, Soto said.

Johnson then led detectives to the wooded area in Medford off the Long Island Expressway where he buried her body, not far from where he lived, Soto said.

Johnson initially covered Papain's body with garbage bags but returned the next day to remove her clothes and dig a shallow hole, Soto said. Johnson told detectives he took her clothes to Gilgo Beach, soaked them in gasoline and burned them in a garbage can, Soto said.

Police had zeroed in on Johnson when Papain's cellphone records showed he was the last person to contact her. Records also showed her phone was active near Johnson's house, even after she disappeared.

Johnson told detectives how he found Papain advertising herself on Craigslist while using a computer at Briarcliffe College, where he was a criminal justice student.

Earlier, Johnson had told detectives about his difficult life. He'd been raped by older brothers, choked previous girlfriends, cheated on his current one with her sister and used his mother's benefits card to pay for prostitutes, Soto said.