Man Fatally Stabbed Woman on Instagram Live for Fame: 'I’m Going to Live Forever' By Samira Asma-Sadeque 16

A Louisiana man has been convicted of first-degree murder for torturing and killing a 34-year-old woman in 2022.

The victim, Janice David, was found naked with her body tied to the steering wheel of a car in Baton Rouge, La., on April 18, police said at the time.

Her killer, 39-year-old Earl Johnson, recorded himself on Instagram Live as he viciously stabbed her, the court heard during last week’s trial, The Advocate, WBRZ and WAFB reported. (Some outlets reported the livestream was on Facebook, which is the parent company of Instagram).

Hundreds of online viewers reportedly witnessed the murder.

On Friday, Sept. 12, an East Baton Rouge jury found Johnson guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the live-streamed killing, per The Advocate, WBRZ and WAFB.

Dana Cummings, the state’s attorney, said during closing arguments that while recording the Instagram Live, Johnson was heard saying: “She was going to say I raped her, they’re going to believe her over me. If I’m going down, I’m going to live forever,” per WAFB.

The jury watched the whole video, which was 16-minutes long, the outlets reported.

“I did not create this evidence; he did. And he wanted everyone to see it because he wanted to be famous and he wanted his son to be famous,” Cummings said in court, per WAFB.

The East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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Johnson had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, the outlets reported.

His lawyer Hafiz Folami claims Johnson and his victim went on a drug-fueled days-long binge before the murder, according to WBRZ and WAFB.

He referenced Johnson’s behavior following the killing, “the erratic speech” and “the waiting on police to come get him,” as proof that his client was suffering from a “severe mental defect,” per WAFB.

However, several mental health professionals deemed Johnson to be sane of mind during the commission of the act, the outlet reported.

He is now scheduled to be sentenced in December.