MacArthur “FunnyMike” Johnson was suddenly all over social media this week, and not for his videos. A viral post claimed the popular YouTuber had been arrested for murder in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The post spread fast. Fans panicked. Many thought he had turned himself in after a deadly shooting. But here is the most important thing first: there has been no recent arrest. No police department confirmed it, no trusted news outlet reported it and FunnyMike himself appeared online, free and active. The claim came from a parody X account and then jumped to Facebook, where it was shared without checks.
The confusion grew because FunnyMike did face a murder charge once before, nearly ten years ago. That old case is real, but it did not end in a conviction. The recent post mixed past events with made-up details, which made it sound new. As of now, there is no case, no arrest, and no active charge tied to FunnyMike in 2026.
False arrest rumors spread online as MacArthur “FunnyMike” Johnson’s old 2016 case resurfaces
The viral claim started with a post from the X parody account Fendi (@backndfendi). The post said FunnyMike was charged with murder after a gas station fight in Baton Rouge and had turned himself in. The message included dramatic language and prayer requests, which helped it spread fast.
Soon after, several Facebook pages repeated the same claim without proof. Still, no Baton Rouge police statement and no local news report backed it up.
What fans missed is that FunnyMike’s real legal trouble happened in May 2016. According to WAFB, MacArthur Johnson was accused in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Richard Phillips. He was 19 at the time and was charged with second-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon, and obstruction of justice.
Johnson said the shooting was self-defense. In 2017, the case was indefinitely suspended after a grand jury did not move forward due to lack of evidence. He was never found guilty.
The 2026 rumor falls apart even more when looking at FunnyMike’s recent activity. He posted Instagram Stories showing he was outside and working. He also appeared in a 24-hour Twitch stream with fellow streamer Imbadkidjay, which fans shared as proof he was not in jail.
As the rumor spread, many users pushed back. One wrote, “This happened in 2016.” Another posted a stream screenshot and said, “Meanwhile FunnyMike doing a 24-hour stream.” Others joked about how fast false news travels. FunnyMike, whose real name is MacArthur Johnson, has not directly addressed the fake post. Instead, he kept posting about his stream, letting the facts speak for themselves.
