Joe Rogan says former podcast guest was later accused in grisly killing
Rogan said on his podcast that a man once in his studio was later accused of killing and dismembering someone in New York.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Joe Rogan told listeners that one of the grimmest crime stories tied to his podcast began with a guest sitting in his studio.
Speaking with physician Zach Bush on Wednesday’s episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Rogan said a man who had appeared on the show was later accused of killing someone after the interview.
Rogan described the case in blunt terms, saying the man had been in his studio before allegedly cutting off another person’s head. He said the suspect had a prior dispute with the victim, killed him, dismembered him and placed the body in a suitcase.
Rogan also said the accused man later put on a wig and tried to leave through a hallway, adding that surveillance video captured him.
The guest Rogan was talking about
TMZ identified the former Rogan guest as Sheldon Johnson, a criminal justice activist who appeared on the podcast in 2024.
During that appearance, Johnson discussed his life after prison and his efforts at rehabilitation following incarceration for a string of robberies, according to TMZ.
One month after the podcast appearance, Johnson was accused in the death of Colin Small in the Bronx, New York, TMZ reported.
According to TMZ, Johnson allegedly shot Small to death and then sawed off his head. The outlet reported that Small’s head was placed inside a freezer at his apartment.
TMZ reported that police later found Small’s body parts, including his arms, legs and head, inside the apartment.
How police got involved
Neighbors contacted police after they saw someone entering and leaving the apartment with cleaning supplies, according to TMZ.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the building, and TMZ reported that the video allegedly showed Johnson during the incident.
Johnson was later arrested and charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon, according to TMZ.
The allegations against Johnson have not been proven in the account reported by TMZ. The outlet did not include a response from Johnson to Rogan’s latest comments.
Rogan’s comments came during a conversation with Bush, when the host raised the case as an example of a disturbing turn involving someone who had previously appeared on his program.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.