Keith Johansen charged with murder of his wife

Historic City News was informed Friday that a man who had a domestic violence protection order against him from a previous relationship, has been arrested today; charged with murder in the death of his wife, 25-year-old Brandi Celenza.

Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies and detectives arrested 36-year-old Keith Johansen at his home at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 27th after completing a thorough investigation.

“We suspected from the start of this investigation that this was a murder, but time was on our side with this case and we took it slowly in order to build the strongest case possible,” Sheriff Rick Staly said.  “It took time for FDLE to analyze the forensic evidence and to obtain electronically stored evidence through out-of-state search warrants.”

The home of the victim and the defendant contained an elaborate security system. A search warrant was issued to obtain the video footage from the California company that stored it. According to a sheriff’s office spokesman, the company was initially unresponsive and did not quickly cooperate.

When the video evidence was finally received and reviewed by detectives, it appeared clear to them that the statements Johansen gave 9-1-1 dispatchers and deputies at the scene on April 7th were in conflict.

The investigation included an autopsy, laboratory tests and multiple search warrants.  These procedures were able to rule out accidental death and suicide as the cause of Celenza’s death. Following the autopsy performed on April 9th, the District Medical Examiner ruled the death of 25-year-old Brandi Celenza a homicide.

“Unfortunately, this is another domestic homicide in our county,” Sheriff Staly said. “A young woman and mother lost her life, and a young son lost his mother, because in a moment of rage her husband thought violence was the answer. I hope that he will spend the rest of his life in prison. Violence is never the answer.”

Johansen has been charged with second-degree murder with a weapon and remains in custody tonight at the Flagler County Detention Facility where he is being held without bond.