Taraji P. Henson, who gave birth to her son Marcell Johnson while in university, hasn’t had an easy life.
Her son’s father, William LaMarr “Mark” Johnson, was murdered in Northeast Washington on January 26, 2003, after a confrontation over a slashed tire.
In 2003, William LaMarr “Mark” Johnson, the father of Taraji P. Henson’s son Marcell Johnson, was tragically murdered (Credit: FayesVision / Apega / Brian To / WENN / Nicky Nelson / Adriana M. Barraza)
According to The Washington Post, Charlotte Nickelson and Russell Nickelson were charged with first-degree murder while armed in the death of William Johnson. They were still in the same room as their dying victim when the police arrived.
According to police, William LaMarr “Mark” Johnson had come to the couple’s apartment to confront Charlotte Nickelson because of an incident in which his friend’s tires were slashed.
He was found by police semiconscious on the living room floor, with stab wounds to his head, body, and legs. One hour later, he was dead.
One year after her ex-boyfriend’s murder, Taraji P. Henson attended the premiere of the American sports comedy film Mr. 3000 at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on September 8, 2004 (Credit: FayesVision / Apega / Brian To / WENN / Nicky Nelson / Adriana M. Barraza)
Russell Nickelson reportedly knocked Johnson down with a ceramic lamp before kicking and punching him. Charlotte Nickelson proceeded to stab him in the legs and torso.
“This [expletive] knocked on my door and punched me in the face. So I punished” him, Charlotte Nickelson allegedly said to officers. “So I split his [expletive] head.”
When he asked for water, Nickelson allegedly told him, “Shut up [expletive], you ain’t getting no water in here.”
Two years after his death, Charlotte Nickelson and Russell Nickelson entered a guilty plea in court. Convicted with voluntary manslaughter, she was ordered to spend 36 months behind bars, while he received a sentence of 50 months.
Actress Taraji P. Henson attends the “Rush Hour 2” Hollywood premiere on July 26, 2001, at Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California (Credit: FayesVision / Apega / Brian To / WENN / Nicky Nelson / Adriana M. Barraza)
“His dad was murdered when Marcell was 9,” Taraji told Star Magazine in 2015. “He’s had to deal with life in a way that a lot of young kids haven’t yet.” And although she and Johnson were no longer together when he was killed, “we would sit and weep about it,” Taraji added.
“Do I mourn for him? Absolutely. I wish my son had his dad. But sometimes things line up and they have to happen and we don’t know why.”
During an episode “Peace of Mind with Taraji” in February 2021, Taraji talked about the difficult decision she faced upon learning that her ex-boyfriend, William LaMarr “Mark” Johnson, was killed.
“My son’s father was suddenly taken, murdered, when he was 9 and I didn’t know how to tell him that,” Henson admitted to co-host Tracie Jade Jenkins. “I couldn’t tell him he was murdered.”
Johnson, who was Henson’s high school sweetheart, was 34 at the time of his death in 2003. The “Empire” alum told her son, Marcell, that Johnson “died in an accident.”
“I just didn’t have the words. I didn’t know how to tell a 9-year-old,” Henson tearfully explained. “[His dad] was stabbed to death. It was the worst way you could die.”
Marcell eventually learned what happened and confronted her, said Henson. “He came back to me and was like, ‘Why didn’t you tell me my daddy was murdered?’ And so then we had to get therapy,” she said.
The conversation was then turned over to the show’s guest, therapist Sierra Hillsman, who provided tips on properly having a difficult conversation with a young child.
Taraji P. Henson Shines in Alexander Wang at VH1’s Big In 2015 Awards: A Tribute to EW’s Entertainer of the Year Honorees
Taraji P. Henson wears her curly hair down at the VH1 Big In 2015 with Entertainment Weekly Awards at Pacific Design Center on November 15, 2015, in West Hollywood, California (Credit: FayesVision / Apega / Brian To / WENN / Nicky Nelson / Adriana M. Barraza)
In November 2015, Taraji P. Henson oozed sass and sex at the VH1 Big In 2015 with Entertainment Weekly Awards ceremony.
The awards ceremony was held at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The honorees were also featured in EW’s Entertainers of the Year issue.
Taraji, also musically gifted, was honored at the event for her work as Cookie Lyon on the Fox drama hit series Empire.
Taraji P. Henson wears a skin-baring dress from Alexander Wang on the red carpet (Credit: FayesVision / Apega / Brian To / WENN / Nicky Nelson / Adriana M. Barraza)
The then-45-year-old actress hit the red carpet in a black Alexander Wang Spring 2016 dress that features a skin-baring alluring lace-up detailing down the side.
Taraji P. Henson blows a kiss in a fitted black dress by Alexander Wang, which accentuated her figure and showcased her toned legs (Credit: FayesVision / Apega / Brian To / WENN / Nicky Nelson / Adriana M. Barraza)
The Abbott Elementary actress styled the flattering dress with dangling hoop earrings and mirror-embellished sandals.
Taraji P. Henson shows off her body in a black form-fitting Alexander Wang dress (Credit: FayesVision / Apega / Brian To / WENN / Nicky Nelson / Adriana M. Barraza)
She wore her curly hair down and finished her look with dark eyeliner and mauve lipstick.
Taraji P. Henson shows off her sexy toes in shoes with circular mirror embellishments (Credit: FayesVision / Apega / Brian To / WENN / Nicky Nelson / Adriana M. Barraza)
We also spotted Taraji wearing these same Alaïa sandals at a live-streaming panel event for Empire in May 2015.
These laser-cut suede shoes feature circular mirror embellishments, open toes, double buckled ankle straps, 0.5-inch platforms, and 4.5-inch heels.
Taraji P. Henson displays her pedicured feet in black Alaïa strappy sandals (Credit: FayesVision / Apega / Brian To / WENN / Nicky Nelson / Adriana M. Barraza)
These Alaïa sandals are now on sale at Mytheresa and Net-A-Porter.
Alaïa Mirror-Embellished Laser-Cut Suede Sandals, $2,110