The17-year-olds death was ultimately ruled accidental and amedical examiner concluded the teen died from positional asphyxia. The case wasclosed nearly five years ago due to "insufficient evidence"supporting foul play, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. A private pathologist was hired to carry out a second autopsy. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. ", Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. 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. He was a three-sport athlete and dreamed of playing professional football. [11] However, analysis of the camera systems by the Valdosta Daily Times purported to explain the anomalies, casting doubt on the theory of a cover-up. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Thing is, he wasnt just found dead. 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. According to CNN, funeral director Antonio Harrington claimed the 17-year-olds organs were destroyed through [the] natural process due to the position of his body when he died. We knew what the outcome would be from the very beginning, Kendricks father, Kenneth Johnson, told CNN. Months after his death, Lowndes County Sheriffs Office investigators ruled it was an accident and closed the case. The parents asserted that the sons of the FBI agent killed Johnson and used their connections to cover up the investigation. On May 8, 2013, a judge granted Kendrick Johnsons body be exhumed. Its an active case so the contents of the recording or anything else, were not going to divulge right now, Paulk said. Crime Junkie did the same thing. In 2015, the Johnson familyfiled a wrongful death lawsuit against siblings Brian and Branden Bell, and another student, Ryan Hall, who they have said they suspect are to blame in the teenager'sdeath. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Georgia was recused from the investigation many years ago.. Theres still a lot of questions people want answered," Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said. Ebony.com described the murder of Johnson to have been at the hands of two white brothers, though they did not include names. 2. In June 2016, the Department of Justice announced no charges would be filed against anyone in relation to Kendrick Johnsons death, considering there was insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges.. Regardless, the organs were lost and could not be tested during the second autopsy, which further aroused suspicions in Johnsons parents that this was a cover-up. According to Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk, If theres questions and theyre legitimate I need to know the answers myself. The Johnsons were extorted out of $1,000 for a tape that contains an individual admitting to their involvement, he alleged. News of the re-openedinvestigation was welcomed by Johnsons family. [25], In January 2015, Johnson's family filed a $100 million civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of DeKalb County against 38 individuals. "If it's a hoax, it's a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson," he said. The individual in question could face extortion charges if the recording is phony,Paulk said. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [14] The governor's office released a statement indicating that they would await the report of the U.S. "[23], In August 2014, a $5 million lawsuit against Ebony magazine was filed, after the magazine published a series of articles naming two students as possible suspects in Johnson's death. The group is. Parents' lawsuit in Georgia gym mat death is dismissed. This finding further increased the confidence of doubters that this death was an accident. 2023 Cox Media Group. The NBA has opened an investigation into a social media post by Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant after he livestreamed himself holding what appeared to be a gun at a club early Saturday. This is a very unusual accident. For years, however, the teenager's family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to . As he was upside down, blood would have rushed to Johnsons head and he eventually would have begun to bleed from his facial orifices. However, the coroner said these organs were not sent to the funeral home because they were too decomposed and were instead disposed of beforehand. The Johnsons have filed several lawsuits since their son's death, winning none of them. But it doesnt look like thats ever going to happen.. 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. NY Daily News/Valdosta/Lowndes Regional Crime Labratory via CNN. "[26] After Moore resigned in 2015,[27] the case was transferred to the Northern District of Ohio under U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach. The lawsuit further alleged that another student, Brian Bell, "had a history of provoking and attacking" Johnson at school, stating that the provocations took place "in the presence of the coaching staff and employees" after his mother complained about previous attacks. We dont know whether its credible or not, hesaid. A recordingthat reportedly contains an emotional confession of an individual who may have been involved in the suspicious 2013 death of teenagerKendrick Johnsonin Georgiais now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. When the judge in that case delayed a decision, pending the outcome of the U.S. Attorney's review, the family demanded that the governor of Georgia immediately authorize the inquiry instead. On top of this, the second autopsy revealed that some of Johnsons organs were missing and in their place, his body had been stuffed with newspaper. [23] It alleged that Johnson was attacked on a bus trip 14 months prior to his death. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. The police took videotape from the school and could see him entering the gym, but they havent released video that shows anything else. This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 04:38. The Sheriffs Department asserted that Johnson must have accidentally fallen into the center of the mat while reaching for a sneaker, which he had stored there so as not to have to pay for a locker. 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. One of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. The states attorney has said that anyone who objectively looks at the case details can only come to one conclusion: this was an accidental death. Verifying the tapes authenticity is indispensable, he added. His family and friends described him as a sweet and quiet boy. Though it was quickly ruled an accidental death, Kendrick's family thought something was wrong. Allegedly they were in an altercation on a school bus prior to Kendricks death. 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. These issues dont mean that someone will kill someone else, however. "[34] On August 10, 2017, Georgia Judge Richard Porter ruled that Johnson's family and their attorney had to pay more than $292,000 in legal fees to the dozens of respondents in their civil suit, writing "testimony shows that they had no evidence to support their claims that the [brothers] killed Johnson or that any of the other defendants engaged in a conspiracy to conceal the cause or manner of Johnson's death. And potentially missing videotape? A Warner Bros. [40], "Kendrick Johnson" redirects here. Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. The case was. Kendrick Johnsons parents released a photo to the media of their sons face as he lay in the funeral home. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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. Indeed, in 2013, racism in Valdosta, Georgia, was still very much alive. An autopsy conducted by a pathologist who was hired by Johnsons family determined that the cause of death was unexplained, apparent non-accidental, blunt-force trauma to the neck. The new findings were the result of a second investigation by the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office following one by the FBI. 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. 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. But Johnsons parents would still not give up. Paulk also claimed a camera in the gymnasium which apparently shows Johnson before his death was realigned 13 months earlier. Although no charges were ever brought to light, and his death was ruled accidental.. The article used as a source an anonymous email to the sheriff's office. Download theGrio today! 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. "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, told WAGA-TV. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. That students father is a retired FBI agent. 1 of 2. The father of the kid who had a motive is allegedly an FBI Agent, with enough pull to supposedly save his son. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. In it, Paulk wrote, I am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play. Finding Kendrick Johnson is an interesting true crime documentary. [12][16] The funeral home that processed the body following the FBI's autopsy stated that they never received Johnson's internal organs from the coroner; the organs were said to have been "destroyed through natural process" and "discarded by the prosector before the body was sent back to Valdosta," according to the funeral home owner. Paulk called the teenagers death a weird accident, telling CNN, there is nothing to substantiate a homicide.. Almost a full day had passed until Johnson had been discovered. First, no one heard him? Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson stand next to a banner on their SUV showing their late son Kendrick, in Valdosta, Ga., in December 2013. [24] The magazine used pseudonyms but was otherwise accurate in descriptions of the boys, including the fact that their father was an FBI agent. That initial investigation concluded that Johnson accidentally slipped into the center of the mat while reaching for a shoe and got stuck. [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. The family, together with the NAACP and other civil rights activists, then held a rally at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. [12], The independent autopsy found that some time after Johnson's body was recovered from the mat and had passed through a funeral home, it had been stuffed with newspapers. [2][13], After the opinion of the private pathologist was released, Johnson's family stated that they believed Johnson had been murdered. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office reopened Kendrick's case last March. Kendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. He was found dead in a rolled up wresting mat. The sheriff said he spent 15 months reading every page in that file, but found that they did not show any criminal action whatsoever.. Nonetheless, the investigation cleared the funeral home of any wrongdoing. 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 family spokespersonsaid. CNN gained access to the schools security footage on the day that Kendrick Johnson was killed, but upon viewing it, realized that it offered little insight into what happened that day. County authorities are currently combing through a trove of boxes of evidence, including computer hard drives, documents, and other files relevant to the investigation. The mat in which Johnson was found was around six feet tall. For the sake of his family, I hope that the case of Kendrick Johnson can be closed in a way that provides closure. Despite these resignations, the Department of Justice investigation continued. The U.S. Attorney said allowing evidence discovery in the civil suit to continue would have a "chilling effect" on the federal investigation, which had expanded into investigating possible obstruction and grand jury witness tampering. True Crime Mysteries- episodes 1 de Manual Einstein en Libreras Gandhi . Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson's body inside an upright mat. 2023 Cable News Network. Then, in 2014, Kendrick Johnsons parents filed a wrongful death suit against the schools officials, alleging that Johnson had been harassed by a white student which went neglected by the school, perhaps due to his race. The only way Im going to know is to look at the evidence myself.. Over the years, the Johnsons have publicly implicated brothers Brian and Branden Bell in Kendricks death. On June 22, 2018, Johnson's body was exhumed.[19]. Your email address will not be published. August 17, 2021. Updated Kendrick Johnsons parents hoped that with the results of this third autopsy, the surveillance footage which they were convinced had been tampered with, and the mishandling of evidence at the scene, would be enough to reopen their sons case. On January 11 in Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found dead, rolled up inside a large gym mat. The photo, in which Kendrick Johnsons face is extremely swollen, almost does not look human. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Theyre not going to uncover something that they covered up., Kendrick Johnson investigation: Feds will not file charges, I am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play, the sheriff wrote in the report. (@tomjones161 via twitter) The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is insisting. Possible Audio Confession In Kendrick Johnson's Death Investigated. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Kendrick Johnson with his mother and father, Kenneth and Jackie Johnson. 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. [29], In November 2015, the Department of Justice filed a motion in the civil case to intervene and stay the case. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. When rolled up, the mat left a 14-inch hole in diameter in the center. The sheriff says case closed again but he will reopen it if someone brings him verified new information. Many speculate a darker reality. After Johnson's body was found in the upright, rolled up wrestling mat at Valdosta High School in January, state medical examiners ruled his death accidental. Kendrick died as a result of blunt force trauma to his person. However, Johnsons parents say classmates killed their son and law enforcement and school officials covered up the crime. [17] A spokesperson for the Secretary of State said that the investigation found that the funeral home "didn't violate any rules. [14] On October 31, 2013, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore announced that his office would open a formal review into Johnson's death. I would be suspicious too, if I were Kendricks parents, that there may be some kind of cover up occurring because, lets face it, who has ever heard of someone dying in a rolled up gym mat? From there until now, we feel like this has been a cover-up at a very high level. . The brothers father,Rick Bell, was an FBI special agent who ultimately resignedafter his home was raided and searched for evidence, according to NBC. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. 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 schools gymnasium. Investigators ruled it an accident but his family and other people nationwide believe he was murdered. 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. TheLowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. The Johnsons did try to sue the funeral home for mishandling their sons body, and perhaps having done so in order to cover up his true cause of death, but this case was dropped. the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. "[11], Lt. Stryde Jones, who headed up the investigation for the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, stated: "We never had credible information that indicated this was anything other than an accident. 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 . 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.. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much The cameras which faced the mats were unfocussed and skipped around. Possible Audio Confession In Kendrick Johnsons Death Investigated, A recordingthat reportedly contains an emotional confession of an individual who may have been involved in the suspicious 2013 death of teenager. The three teens were classmates. Though 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson's death was ruled accidental after his body was found inside a gym mat on January 11, 2013, many suspect foul play. 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, . Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. [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. Kendrick Johnson was found dead in a gym mat at Lowndes High School in January 2013. But still an accident? Thomas wondered. We are cautiously optimistic now.. However, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced the re-opening of the case on Tuesday. Furthermore, Johnsons parents argued, if this was an accident, how could no one have heard Kendrick call for help in a high school of over 3,000 students? The Bell family has previously deflected blame in the incident; now, Karen Bell says she's upset by the renewed investigative efforts. . Kendrick didnt deserve this., Following public outcry, the Justice Department also investigated Kendricks death in 2013 and closed its case in 2016, finding insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges., The report from the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office was published by the Valdosta Daily Times newspaper on Wednesday.