All Rights Reserved. I just keep waiting for someone to be honest with [the Johnsons], Karen Bell, the mother of Brian and Branden Bell, said. He was just in his socks. 2. We provide you with a list of the top 15 best true crime documentaries that every true crime fan will thoroughly enjoy. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. Ebony.com described the murder of Johnson to have been at the hands of two white brothers, though they did not include names. Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body inside an upright mat. This is how you roll in Valdosta. She and her family maintain that young Kendrick was murdered. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Paulk called the teenagers death a weird accident, telling CNN, there is nothing to substantiate a homicide.. Kendrick Perkins implies Jokic is winning MVPs because he's white Although no charges were ever brought to light, and his death was ruled accidental.. Video shows Johnson walking into and then through the gym on January 10, 2013. (@tomjones161 via twitter) The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is insisting. Jaqueline Johnson said she doesnt trust local authorities and wants federal investigators to take another look at what happened to her son here nine years ago. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation previously determined Johnsons death was accidental despite two independent autopsies finding the teen died of non-accidental blunt force trauma. Authorities were tight-lipped about whether the Bell brothers were suspects in Kendrick Johnsons death. The suit alleged that Johnson "was violently assaulted, severely injured, suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, and subjected to insult and loss of life" on January 10, 2013. "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, told WAGA-TV. Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. Kendrick Johnson, photo from Medium.com Kendrick Johnson was a sports-loving, ball-playing high school student in Valdosta, Georgia until January 11, 2013, when he was found dead in his school's gymnasium. [11] Some of the apparent lapses in coverage were found to result from camera systems that were not synchronized with one another. "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, WAGA-TV. Anderson claimed that his findings indicated traces of blunt force trauma to the right neck and soft tissues, and suggested the death was not accidental. Allegedly they were in an altercation on a school bus prior to Kendricks death. Kendrick Johnson with his mother and father, Kenneth and Jackie Johnson (The Johnson Family). They soon discover that not only is something wrong, but things go much deeper than they ever imagined. Kendrick Johnson's death made national news, not on the day his body was discovered, but in weeks . [12], A subsequent investigation by the Georgia Secretary of State's office found that the funeral home did not follow "best practice" and that other material was "more acceptable than newspaper." When Johnson was exhumed for the first independent autopsy in June 2013, it was discovered that every organ from his pelvis to his skull, including his brain, heart, lungs, and liver, was gone and replaced with newspaper. . Johnsons parents finally believed that their sons death was not being taken seriously because of his race. But Johnsons parents would still not give up. Policeand eventually the state's Possible new evidence presented in Kendrick Johnson case - WALB Kendrick Johnson was found dead in a gym mat at Lowndes High School in January 2013. The mat was vertical. The Justice Department announced in October 2013 it was opening an investigation into the case and in 2016 said it was closing the case, saying it had found insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges.. [26] All local Superior Court judges recused themselves from presiding over the case, preventing the lawsuit from being filed and heard in Lowndes County, citing their close proximity to the accused. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch, she contended. Download theGrio today! Have you subscribed to the Grio podcasts Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now!TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. He wrote that the FBI reviewed footage from 62 cameras on campus, and Johnson never crossed paths with the brothers. Local law enforcement was quick to rule it an accident and move on but the family is sure this is a case of murder being covered up. Kendrick Johnson: Sheriff puts up $500K reward for information on Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Johnson was the main "sniper" for the 103 gang, Seely said. [20] A forensic analyst enlisted by CNN found that tapes from two cameras are missing an hour and five minutes of footage, while another set was missing two hours and ten minutes of footage. LeBron James is still in the closet, but he will join Green and Perkins as an "America First" hoopster when Bronny James is toiling in a faraway foreign league.MAGA NBA players are annoyed that foreigners are taking over a . Paulk noted that Branden Bell left campus an hour before Johnson vanished. Sheriff says case closed after his investigation finds Kendrick Johnsons death was no crime Jaqueline Johnson said she doesnt trust local authorities and wants federal investigators to take another look at what happened to her son here nine years ago. This is a very unusual accident. He was found rolled up in a gym mat at Lowndes High School the next day. For years, however, the teenager's family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to . The Suspicious Death of Kendrick Johnson.Plus many more disturbing stories.The stories in this Episodes are shocking and exhibit human behavior at its absolute worst. Tuesday marks 10 years since Kendrick died. You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? I do not, he replied. The origin and credibility of the recording which was provided to the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office after being purchased by Johnsons family are bothnow being investigated. Kendrick Johnson: Unsolved Crime or Tragic Accident? In a statement to CNN, the US Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Georgia said, the final conclusion in the Kendrick Johnson investigation was reached and announced in 2016 by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio (USAO NDOH), which handled the matter. VALDOSTA, Ga. - A Georgia sheriff says his office has received new information in the death investigation ofa Valdosta teenager whose body was found at school inside a rolled-up gym mat. Kendrick Johnson: Federal lawsuit DROPPED in death of - Crime Online [17], Johnson's family requested that his body be exhumed for a second time and was granted permission by Valdosta city officials. Camera systems were motion-activated, using a change in light pixels to turn recordings on and off. The Johnsons also accused the brothers father, an FBI agent at the time, of covering up the murder by manipulating the school and authorities involved in investigating Johnsons death. You cant do an investigation with the same investigators who covered it up. Coleman called for the individuals immediate arrest. The individual in question could face extortion charges if the recording is phony,Paulk said. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. Required fields are marked *. We already knew what team you were on. The next day, a teacher found his body inside one of the rolled-up wrestling mats. Kendrick Johnson Death Case Reopened 8 Years Later | Crime News Listen to the latest episode: Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. Johnsons parents have said they think their son was killed. Investigatorsdeclined to comment on what's said in theaudio but confirmed theyre now tracking down the individual who allegedly sold the tape to Johnsons mother. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. The new findings were the result of a second investigation by the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office following one by the FBI. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. Speculation and outrageous theories always run wild and it takes away from the victims story. I made a promise to the people Id go through every piece of [evidence].. [14] The governor's office released a statement indicating that they would await the report of the U.S. Adding to the confusion is the fact that in October 2013, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation told CBS thatJohnsons organs were returned to his body following the autopsy, as per protocol. Kendrick Johnson's case closed after authorities say no crime found "[26] After Moore resigned in 2015,[27] the case was transferred to the Northern District of Ohio under U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach. Top 15 Best True Crime Documentaries To Watch 1. [21] The area where Johnson's body was discovered, where the gym mats were stored, was outside the range of all of the surveillance cameras. The origin and credibility of the recording . And, allegedly the FBI agents son told at least two people that he hit Kendrick on the back of the neck with a 45 pound weight. Over the years, the Johnsons have publicly implicated brothers Brian and Branden Bell in Kendricks death. Kendrick Johnson murder case: Sheriff receives possible audio confession This is how you roll in Valdosta, the dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, said of the Lowndes County Sheriffs new findings. Seventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. The findings of the second autopsy, that Johnsons death was not accidental and caused by blunt force trauma likely due to being struck in the neck with a 45lb dumbbell, were confirmed. A coach found out he was dead. We know that.. CNN has not independently inspected all the evidence that the sheriff reviewed. Georgia Judge Richard Porter ordered the Johnsons and their attorney to pay more than $292,000 in legal fees to the defendants, accusing them of fabricating evidence to support their claims. Updated However, Paulk claimed a woman with the Department of Justice and a man performing the autopsies had developed a close relationship with at one point, the woman saying in an email, I had to make him feel like a man so that he would be open to talking.. I am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play, he wrote. After this sad look at the case and death of Kendrick Johnson, read up on another mysterious disappearance, that of Elisa Lam. Upon releasing a 16-page synopsis report, sheriff Ashley Paulk told WCTV that he is 100 percent sure there was no foul play based on the federal case documents he reviewed and interviews police conducted with people involved in the initial investigation. Paulk also claimed a camera in the gymnasium which apparently shows Johnson before his death was realigned 13 months earlier. The case was. [22], Johnson's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Lowndes County Board of Education, its superintendent and the principal of Lowndes High School. Im going through everything myself, Paulk said,estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. The latest report addresses several controversial topics at the center of Johnsons death, including the teens autopsy, where his body was found, and cameras located at Lowndes High School. NBA opens investigation after Ja Morant's social media post Law enforcement has ruled Kendrick's death an . [37] However, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk stated that he would not be claiming there was something wrong with the original investigation or that the original investigation's conclusion of an accidental death was wrong. On October 31, 2013, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia announced that his office would open a formal review into Johnson's death. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. Your email address will not be published. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. And potentially missing videotape? As a result of this new evidence, Matthew Moore, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced a formal review of the case. Meet The Damselfly, Your New Favorite Insect, Man Who Had Part Of His Brain Removed To Cure Him Of Seizures Says He No Longer Feels Fear, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. [12] Three students at Lowndes High School told investigators that it was common for some students to store their shoes behind or under the rolled up mats, Johnson was not wearing shoes when he was found. Months after his death, Lowndes County Sheriffs Office investigators ruled it was an accident and closed the case. 'Finding Kendrick Johnson' Documentary Shows Facts, Not Conspiracies Crime 'Somebody Knows' What Happened: Doc Filmmaker Speaks on Case About Georgia Teen Found Dead Inside a Gym Mat Finding. [11] An autopsy by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) stated that Johnson had died from positional asphyxia,[12] and the case was ruled an accidental death by the Lowndes County investigators. The body was discovered by fellow students who had climbed up to the top of a cluster of mats, each of which stood nearly 6 feet (1.8m) tall and 3 feet (0.91m) wide. Kendrick Johnson's family and several friends gathered and held a balloon . [24] The magazine used pseudonyms but was otherwise accurate in descriptions of the boys, including the fact that their father was an FBI agent. But inconsistencies in official reports on the condition of Kendricks body and other discrepancies led the family and community to question the official cause of his death. Attorney. The photo, in which Kendrick Johnsons face is extremely swollen, almost does not look human. [38] The sheriff also stated he does not consider the case to be a homicide. However, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced the re-opening of the case on Tuesday. Georgia state law dictates that the coroner be contacted immediately on the discovery of a body, but Watson claimed that he was not notified until six hours later. Kendrick Johnson's Death And The Chilling Story Behind It They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. It alleged that the defendants ignored reports that, previously, Johnson had been repeatedly attacked and harassed by a white student. Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told Oxygen.com. We already knew what team you were on. The next investigation was a federal one. We have buried kj 3 times and it felt like 3 funerals and i lost him 3 times.. All that could be seen from the cameras was Kendrick Johnson walking towards the gym, and then several seconds of footage of him jogging within the gym. Published on February 1, 2022 08:45 AM. True crime; doubtful solutions - The Boston Globe Given the slender opening in the gym mat, this is certainly plausible, even though Kendrick was exceptionally physically fit. However, Johnsons parents say classmates killed their son and law enforcement and school officials covered up the crime. In 2013, Johnsons body was found rolled up in a mat inside a Valdosta-area high school gymnasium. Coleman didnt speculate on the speakers identity but emphasized the voice sounded younger in age. He also claimed the tapes unidentified seller, who supposedly sent the Johnsons several texts to orchestrate the purchase, is a white male. Lowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson stand next to a banner on their SUV showing their late son, Kendrick Johnson, on Dec. 13, 2013, in Valdosta, Ga. On that tape, you very clearly hear what appears to be a caucasian young male admitting very tearful, very fearful and stating twice that he knows that hes going to get caught,, , a spokesperson for the Johnson family, told, . The three teens were classmates. We are cautiously optimistic now.. Johnsons shoulders measured 19 across and he was five feet, ten inches tall. "This week we are trying Kendrick Johnson as the shooter, the organizer and the planner of Delindsey Mack's murder," she told . What's the opinion on Kendrick Johnson's death? : r/TrueCrime Justice denied. Paulk estimated it might take six months to process everything. But still an accident? Thomas wondered. If it is somebody just doing an extortion racket or a terrible hoax its very, very cruel, and of course, if it is a hoax, well deal with it very sternly, Paulk said. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson was initially ruled an accident by law enforcement, but his family was not convinced. Community hosts balloon release for Kendrick Johnson 10 years after his Investigators ruled it an accident but his family and other people nationwide believe he was murdered. Kendrick Johnson: A second local investigation into the death of - CNN August 17, 2021. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office reopened Kendrick's case last March. On May 8, 2013, a judge granted Kendrick Johnsons body be exhumed. It is a case that has stumped and enraged millions of people around the world. That initial investigation concluded that Johnson accidentally slipped into the center of the mat while reaching for a shoe and got stuck. [14] On October 31, 2013, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore announced that his office would open a formal review into Johnson's death. The funeral home said that it received the body without organs which it replaced with paper or sawdust as is common practice while embalming. In 2013, the 17-year-olds body was found upside down inside a rolled-up gym mat at a Georgia high school; he'd suffocated to death. Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. The description of these brothers closely resembled that of Brian and Brandon Bell, who the magazine claimed had killed Kendrick because of a fight they had had over a year earlier which had escalated. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Lowndes County is in southern Georgia. A hoodie and a pair of orange and black gym shoes were also found lying on the floor of the gym, as well as traces of blood on the wall nearby. The Grizzlies played in Denver on Friday night and are scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Saturday . It's just like,'shut this family up,' sending them on their way, but what they didn't realize is the Johnson family is not going anywhere.". The police took videotape from the school and could see him entering the gym, but they havent released video that shows anything else. Kendrick Johnson: Unsolved Crime or Tragic Accident. [Featured image: Kendrick Johnson/Contributed], Life Without Parole: Convicted Kidnappers of Slain Toddler Kamille McKinney Sentenced, Squatter Charged With Murder of Missing Teen Farmer Dylan Rounds, Teen Who Rapped About Shooting Rival Gang Member in Back Charged with Murder. The late teen's parents, Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson, filed the lawsuit in January, claiming their son was the victim of foul play. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta facebook feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta twitter feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta instagram feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta youtube feed(Opens a new window), Lowndes County Sheriff's findings on death of Kendrick Johnson, Missing Pennsylvania woman found alive after more than 30 years, Reality star Honey Boo Boo was inside speeding Dodge Charger involved in chase with Ga. deputies, Former Atlanta Hawk, Ga. Tech star charged with choking, kidnapping N.C. woman, Surveillance video shows moments leading up to deadly UGA crash, A 17-year-old Gwinnett County girl thought she was taking Percocet; now shes dead. Indeed, when the mat was first unrolled, Johnson did have one arm stretched above his head and the other down around his waist as though struggling for his shoe.