It’s been more than a week since Aja Johnson was abducted and her mother Tonya was found beaten to death in an RV.  Since then investigators in Oklahoma issued a warrant for Lester Hobbs arrest charging him with first degree murder and kidnapping.  Hobbs is a convicted felon, and according to court documents was not supposed to have any contact with Aja.  Police say they’ve received leads about possible sightings of Hobbs, Aja and the car he may be driving, but so far nothing has panned out.  The Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations and the United States Marshal service put out a $20,000 reward, hoping someone will bring them the information they need to find this child.   

A few days ago I spoke with Alice Dunkin, Tonya Hobbs mother, and missing 7-year-old Aja Johnson’s grandmother.  She told me she screamed bloody murder and “blew up” when she learned her daughter was killed.  It is devastation to Alice especially because she said her son was shot and killed nearly three years ago, and now she has to go through this with her daughter.  Along with losing both of her children, Alice fears what may happen to her granddaughter Aja, “Lester does not like Aja, he is mean to Aja, he’s made her eat jalapeño peppers, and has a paddle with her name on it. I’ve seen bruises he’s left on her little behind. I don’t know why or if it’s her medical problem or what. If she doesn’t take her medication, she’s climbing the wall.” Aja Johnson is still missing, and her life is in danger.  Investigators believe the 7-year-old was abducted by Lester Hobbs, 47, after her mother’s murder over the weekend.  The last time Aja or Hobbs were seen was Saturday, January 23, 2009 around 6 p.m.  Lester Hobbs is a convicted felon, and at one point Aja’s mom reported to police that he wanted to kill his daughter with a hammer.  Hobbs is currently wanted for a failure to appear warrant out of Lincoln County, Oklahoma for not showing up for his DUI case earlier this week, and there is now a warrant out for him for the murder of Tonya Hobbs and the abduction of Aja Johnson.  Official cause of death has not been released, but it appears at this time Tonya died from blunt force trauma to her body, she may have been beaten to death.

I asked Alice specifically about the domestic violence with Lester Hobbs leading up to her daughter’s death and she told me, “he has slapped her, and one time she had a black eye, but I never dreamed it would go this far.”  Alice wanted to speak out to Lester Hobbs about the way he was treating her daughter, but Tonya was scared and asked her never to say anything because if she got him upset he may take it out on her, “I had to bite my tongue, I hated to do that,” Alice says. Tonya was in the hospital three times over the last few months because of blood clots in her knees and lungs, according to her mom she wasn’t able to work, and doesn’t have any health insurance.  Alice doesn’t have enough money to bury her daughter, but there is a memorial fund set up if anyone would care to donate to the burial (information below). Tonya leaves behind three children, a 15-year-old son, a 13-year-old daughter, and 7-year-old Aja.  Alice says, “I talked to my grandson, he’s taking it pretty hard… I told him anytime he wanted to call day or night, he was more than welcome.”

Oklahoma Bureau of investigations released these pictures from a Wal-Mart in Lawton, Oklahoma.  The photo depicts murder suspect Lester Hobbs holding hands with his estranged wife Tonya Hobbs what may have been just hours before police believe she was killed, and her 7-year-old child Aja Johnson was abducted.  Investigators say the couple went to the Wal-Mart around 5:15 p.m. on January 23, 2009 to pick up food for dinner.  Take a good at what Lester Hobbs is wearing, these could be the clothes he still has on his back.  Also, in the parking lot, the surveillance camera picked up a clear view of the vehicle Hobbs may be driving.  Take a look at the back passenger side window, and the hubcaps.  Early on in the investigation it was believed the vehicle did not have any hubcaps, and now these pictures show the car may have them.

Hobbs has a long criminal history, includes domestic violence, assault and battery with a deadly weapon, injury to a child, drug and many DUI arrests.  Police say Tonya’s body was found around 9 p.m. Sunday night, and her daughter and estranged husband were nowhere to be found. Hobbs was staying in an RV on his sister’s property.  Police say Tonya and Aja were visiting for the weekend, but Aja was not supposed to be in contact with Lester Hobbs and was supposed to have supervised visits only with her mother. 

November 2009, Aja’s father, John J. Johnson filed an emergency order with the court to get custody of Aja, and was granted full custody.  In the official paperwork filed with the court, and signed by the judge on December 4, 2009, it states, “child shall not be left alone with Respondent (Tonya); the child shall not be around LESTER HOBBS, Respondent’s current husband.”  Also, child support was not awarded to her father at the time because of Tonya’s medical and financial situation, and because her father could financially support the child by himself.”  I spoke with attorney John Burke who represents Aja’s father, John Johnson.  He says his client allowed Tonya to take their daughter to a birthday party at a cousins house, or so he thought.  John says Tonya told him that if the birthday party ran late, she would want to keep the child overnight.  John packed an extra set of clothes, and sent enough medication to get the child through Saturday.  Aja suffers from sleep deprivation, and takes medication to help her sleep.  Without the proper medication, it causes her to become behaviorally out of control.  Attorney John Burke says his client became very concerned around noon on Saturday when he could not track down Tonya or his daughter. Alice told me that Tonya and John, Aja’s father, worked out an agreement outside the courtroom so Aja could spend the evening, and possibly overnight with her mom, and that he would never keep Tonya from seeing her daughter.

Aja was enrolled in three different elementary schools since last year. I can confirm Aja was a student at the Davenport Elementary school up until she was transferred to the Newcastle school in Oklahoma.  I confirmed with the Newcastle Elementary school that Aja did in fact start first grade there, and was pulled out in October 2009.  I spoke to the principal, and she says Aja always wore her hair in a high ponytail, and she was very loving.  Aja is the kind of child if she knows you, she will run up and give you a big hug.  There are reports that Aja needs medication, and I was told that during her 6 weeks at that school the nurse never issued her any medication, and as far as they know she was not required to take any.  Aja was one of 863 children who attend the Pre-K-5 school. The school got word that Aja was going to attend school in Oklahoma City after she was withdrawn, and they were waiting for the new school to contact them, but they never got a call.  I did speak with the Communications Director of public schools in Oklahoma City, and I can confirm that Aja was enrolled in Parmelle Elementary School as of November 2009. I was told Aja does have a sister who is currently in middle school in Newcastle, but the Newcastle middle school cannot confirm or deny if the child is a student there.  Aja and her sister have two different fathers.

To make donations to the Tonya Hobbs burial, please send donations here:

Tonya Hobbs memorial

First Commercial Bank

3131 South Shields

Oklahoma City,  OK

If you have any information on this case, please contact 1-800-THE-LOST

Tags: 1-800-the-lost, Aja Johnson, amber alert, domestic violence, grandmother, Lester Hobbs, murder, Oklahoma, school, texas

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