Man sentenced to 30 years in murder of yoga instructor, actress Tricia McCauley

WASHINGTON - The man convicted of murdering an actress and yoga instructor, who was reported missing on Christmas Day in 2016 and later found dead inside of her vehicle, was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

A judge handed down the sentence to 30-year-old Adrian Johnson while the courtroom was packed with Tricia McCauley's family and friends. Johnson pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in McCauley's death back in September. He will be placed on 30 years of supervised release after serving his prison time and will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Johnson was taken into custody the night following Christmas after police reportedly spotted McCauley's Toyota Scion in the 2200 block of M Street in a pharmacy parking lot. Authorities said they found Johnson in the pharmacy with the keys to McCauley's car and several of her credit cards. Officers searched the vehicle and found McCauley's body in the back seat.

According to court documents, McCauley left her home in the 2000 block of North Capitol Street to go to a Christmas party at a friend's house when she encountered Johnson. Officials said Johnson got into her vehicle and sexually assaulted her before beating and strangling her to death with her scarf.

FOX 5 reported in December that five days before McCauley went missing, Johnson went before a judge on theft charges and was ordered to enroll in GPS monitoring but failed to do so.

McCauley was an herbalist at Common Good City Farm near Howard University Hospital. She also ran a business called Leafyhead Lotions and Potions, which sold natural health and holistic products.

McCauley also worked as a professional actress with roles in films such as "The Paper Girl," "Step Up" and "Never Dream: The Beginning." She also performed in several theater productions at the Washington Stage Guild, Imagination Stage, Rainbow Theatre Project and others.