In time, the homicide folder containing Johnson's mug shot and fingerprints joined others in the fugitive file. Over the years, detectives on the case retired. One even began a new career as an FBI agent.
Enter Detectives Michael Cohen, Gus Richardson and Charles Permint of the Homicide Division's Fugitive Squad.
Two months ago, Cohen, using sophisticated fingerprint tracing techniques recently put on line in the department, scanned selected Philadelphia murders dating back to 1970 in which suspects were fugitives.
His purpose was to see if any of the suspects had brushes with the law since their prints had been put into the system. "His efforts proved negative," said Lt. Kenneth Coluzzi, squad commander.
Then, joined by Richardson and Permint in a different search, Cohen hit paydirt. With the help of the FBI's Interstate Identification Index, the trio discovered that Johnson had been arrested under a fictitious name in Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 18.
Using the alias Stewart Liddles, Johnson was arrested on a prostitution- related charge, but was released and his real identity went undiscovered.
The Philadelphia detectives sent information on Johnson to Tampa authorities to determine if Liddles was indeed Johnson.
"The fingerprints confirmed Stewart Johnson's identity," said Coluzzi.
At 8:45 a.m. yesterday, Johnson, now 46, was arrested without incident by FBI agents at the Tampa Tribune, a newspaper where he was employed in the press room, an official at the paper said.
He was charged with being a murder fugitive from Philadelphia and faces an extradition hearing Monday.
Johnson's accomplice, whose name was not released, is still being sought, detectives said.
