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However, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced the re-opening of the case on Tuesday. Its been eight long years, said Kendrick Johnsons mother, Jacquelyn. Kendrick Johnson was a Georgia teen, who was found dead inside a rolled up wrestling mat. Johnsons family has long-suspected the teen was killed by classmates and theorized that their parents conspired with school and law enforcement officials to cover up hisdeath. On Jan. 11, 2013, the body of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, a popular student and promising athlete at Lowndes High School, in Valdosta, Ga., was found rolled up upside down in a . Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. [5] Crump's application to practice law in Georgia representing Johnson's parents was not ruled on, and he withdrew from representing the family and is no longer participating in the case. [39] He further stated that two brothers, named in previous legal actions by the Johnsons, are not suspects. Justice denied. Tuesday marks 10 years since Kendrick died. For years, however, the teenager's family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to . The Grizzlies played in Denver on Friday night and are scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Saturday . The cameras which faced the mats were unfocussed and skipped around. The funeral home said that it received the body without organs which it replaced with paper or sawdust as is common practice while embalming. Kendrick Johnsons case closed after authorities say no crime found, Reports: 3 children dead, 2 wounded in attack at Texas home, Kellyanne Conway, George Conway To Divorce After Decadeslong Marriage: Report, School punished teen girl for working out in sports bra in 100-degree Texas heat, ACLU says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, 'Extremely dangerous': Spike in illegal crossings at Canada-Vermont border has feds sounding alarm, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, butlight showers make brief return, Scam alert: arrest warrant calls are fake, sheriff's office says, Heidi Klum's husband thinks the couple's dogs might have been poisoned. The FBI had previously said the siblings were in separate parts of the Valdosta-area high school at the time of Johnsons death. We have a good picture of him and a pretty good description. Im feeling hopeful.. On Jan. 11, 2013, Johnson's body was discovered in a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School. Valdosta, Georgia CNN For the local sheriff's department, the death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson is a closed book: A tragedy, but an accident. He was a three-sport athlete and dreamed of playing professional football. 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. [31] They were subsequently sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees[32] and $1,000,000 in defamation damages. [11] A student at the school said that he shared a pair of Adidas shoes with Johnson, and that after gym class Johnson would always "go to the mats, jump up and toss the shoes inside the middle of the hole. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. [17], Johnson's family requested that his body be exhumed for a second time and was granted permission by Valdosta city officials. "Im treating it like its a brand new case," Paulk said, according to the newspaper. In 2013, Johnsons body was found rolled up in a mat inside a Valdosta-area high school gymnasium. We are cautiously optimistic now.. [2], Authorities hypothesized that Johnson had fallen into the mat while looking for a shoe and died after being unable to get out. We know that.. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. [7][8][9][10], On January 11, 2013, the body of Kendrick Johnson was discovered in the gymnasium of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, found headfirst in the center of a vertical rolled-up wrestling mat. 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. [12] The funeral home owner stated that it is standard practice to fill a void in this fashion, and that cotton or sawdust may also be employed for this purpose. Furthermore, a second autopsy showed non-accidental blunt force trauma to the back of the neck. Johnson's mother told Channel 2s Tony Thomas . Kendrick Johnson's family and several friends gathered and held a balloon . After this sad look at the case and death of Kendrick Johnson, read up on another mysterious disappearance, that of Elisa Lam. MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Kendrick Johnson Episode Summary In 2013 a 17-year-old boy's body was found rolled up in a high school gym mat. The origin and credibility of the recording . His family and friends described him as a sweet and quiet boy. Kendrick Johnsons parents released a photo to the media of their sons face as he lay in the funeral home. A coach found out he was dead. However,. 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. County authorities are currently combing through a trove of boxes of evidence, including computer hard drives, documents, and other files relevant to the investigation. Idk why but this case in particular seems to bring out the worst in a lot of true crime podcast hosts. The suit also alleged that school officials failed to "properly monitor the activities of students throughout all areas" of the campus and to "maintain a properly functioning video surveillance system. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There are no suspects because we havent made a determination as to whether or not this was murder, Paulk added. In June 2018, Kendrick Johnsons body was exhumed for a second time and a third autopsy was performed. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Wikimedia CommonsSeventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. [5], Johnson's family filed a $100 million civil lawsuit against 38 individuals, stating that his death was a murder and that the respondents were participants in a conspiracy to cover up the homicide, which they claimed involved two sons of an FBI agent. State medical examiners concluded that. Paulk called the teenagers death a weird accident, telling CNN, there is nothing to substantiate a homicide.. The Johnsons have filed several lawsuits since their son's death, winning none of them. As far as the feds were concerned, the case was officially and finally closed. [1][2][3][4] After a preliminary investigation and autopsy concluded that Johnson's death was accidental, his family had a private pathologist conduct a second autopsy which concluded that he died from blunt force trauma. A family spokesperson told NPR they are "cautiously. Required fields are marked *. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. We know that.. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. 2. 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. Video shows Johnson walking into and then through the gym on January 10, 2013. This is a very unusual accident. The sheriff says case closed again but he will reopen it if someone brings him verified new information. Johnsons parents finally believed that their sons death was not being taken seriously because of his race. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. 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. We aint cheering, but we know this is the only path that we can get for justice for Kendrick Johnson, Marcus Coleman said this week. Many speculate a darker reality. The Johnsons were extorted out of $1,000 for a tape that contains an individual admitting to their involvement, he alleged. 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. That initial investigation concluded that Johnson accidentally slipped into the center of the mat while reaching for a shoe and got stuck. Kendrick Johnson, center, watches as Assistant District Attorney Sarah Seely, left, hands a piece of evidence to his defense attorneys during the first day of his murder trial Tuesday, Nov . August 17, 2021. But Johnsons parents would still not give up. It alleged that the defendants ignored reports that, previously, Johnson had been repeatedly attacked and harassed by a white student. The group is. The three teens were classmates. "Theres still a lot of questions people want answered.". The sheriff said he spent 15 months reading every page in that file, but found that they did not show any criminal action whatsoever.. [22], Johnson's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Lowndes County Board of Education, its superintendent and the principal of Lowndes High School. [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. : No charges in Kendrick Johnson death, nr Blackwell Kendrick Johnson_00003415.jpg. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Kendrick Johnson with his mother and father, Kenneth and Jackie Johnson. "[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. The familys attorney, Chevene King, expressed thatif Kendrick had been white, the case would have been handled differently. Kendrick Johnson was found dead in a gym mat at Lowndes High School in January 2013. Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. 2023 Cox Media Group. [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. The amended report stated his cause and manner of death were undetermined. 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. He was never shown within or leaving the gym and indeed, he never did show up for his following classes. 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. This is a very unusual accident. [21] The president of the Valdosta-Lowndes County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the former lead investigator for that chapter have stated that they believe the attorneys for the Johnsons have "not been entirely truthful in their statements" and that there was no cover-up in this case. "If it's a hoax, it's a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson," he said. 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. We have buried kj 3 times and it felt like 3 funerals and i lost him 3 times.. "[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. Johnson's family didn't accept the. A recently-completed investigation found no evidence of a coverup in the 2013 death of Kendrick Johnson, who was found in a rolled-up mat at his Georgia high school. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Kendrick Johnson lived with his family in Valdosta, Georgia and attended Lowndes High School. [25], In January 2015, Johnson's family filed a $100 million civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of DeKalb County against 38 individuals. The mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson was initially ruled an accident by law enforcement, but his family was not convinced. 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, . Your email address will not be published. The US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio declined to comment. 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 Johnsons were also sure that their sons body had been moved, which was corroborated by Lowndes County Coroner, Bill Watson. Tweet. For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. 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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Paulk noted that Branden Bell left campus an hour before Johnson vanished. [23] It alleged that Johnson was attacked on a bus trip 14 months prior to his death. [30] After the Justice Department's motion was denied, Johnson's parents dismissed their own wrongful death lawsuit, saying that they hoped to refile it after the conclusion of the federal investigation. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. I just keep waiting for someone to be honest with [the Johnsons], Karen Bell, the mother of Brian and Branden Bell, said. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! However, these things really happen in the world. But you have to wonder. "This week we are trying Kendrick Johnson as the shooter, the organizer and the planner of Delindsey Mack's murder," she told . In the recently-released report, Paulk scrutinized an amended report that was released two years after the Office of Armed Forces Medical Examiner found in August 2014 that Johnson died of positional asphyxia and listed his death as accidental. 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.. ", Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. 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. The only way Im going to know is to look at the evidence myself.. Johnsons mother told Channel 2s Tony Thomas that shes not surprised by the findings. They soon discover that not only is something wrong, but things go much deeper than they ever imagined. [38] The sheriff also stated he does not consider the case to be a homicide. It seems so much more likely to me that Kendrick Johnson's death was a tragic accident. News of the re-openedinvestigation was welcomed by Johnsons family. While the lawsuit did not name the person or persons allegedly involved in the January 10 event, nor identify the race of alleged perpetrators, it implied a race-based dimension to the hypothetical assault. It does appear, however, that their quest for answers has only led to more questions. NY Daily News/Valdosta/Lowndes Regional Crime Labratory via CNN. Just after 24 hours of being found, the investigators ruled Johnsons death an accident. In 2015, the Johnsons filed a $100 million civil lawsuit against 38 people, including three of their sons classmates, the school, the local crime lab, state and federal officials, five agents of the GBI, an FBI agent, and more. This is how you roll in Valdosta. She and her family maintain that young Kendrick was murdered. [14] The governor's office released a statement indicating that they would await the report of the U.S. Time stamps between some separate camera systems differed by as much as twenty minutes for the same time period, giving the impression of a gap for portions of the footage where no gap existed. That material included grand jury testimony, results from an autopsy conducted by federal authorities and additional digital evidence. But still an accident? Thomas asked Paulk. Authorities say they are working to verify an audio recording of someone admitting to Kendrick Johnson's death. This finding further increased the confidence of doubters that this death was an accident. Johnsons father, however, admitted that he had no hard evidence to back up any of these claims and the Johnsons had to drop the suit. Unsatisfied with the result of the investigation, they hired an independent autopsy conducted by William R. Anderson with Forensic Dimensions in Heathrow, Florida, on June 15, 2013. The article used as a source an anonymous email to the sheriff's office. Since 17 year old Kendrick Johnson was found dead, in a rolled up gym mat, the question has remained; was this a tragic accident, or a well orchestrated and quickly hidden murder. 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. Kendrick Johnsons body inside an upright mat. They believed that the Sheriffs Department wastoo quick to rule out foul play as a cause for Johnsons death, considering that within 24 hours of finding Kendrick Johnsons body, they concluded that it was an accident. They wont publicly say what that new info is. [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. In November 2013, 290 hours of surveillance tape from 35 cameras that covered the gym area were released to CNN following a court request. Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told WSB-TV his office reviewed the FBIs findings, as well as 17 boxes of evidence, and reached that decision. 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. [2][13], After the opinion of the private pathologist was released, Johnson's family stated that they believed Johnson had been murdered. And potentially missing videotape? The mat in which Johnson was found was around six feet tall. All things mysterious, murderous, and macabre. 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. 2023 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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 was found dead in a gym mat in 2013. Did you encounter any technical issues? Almost a full day had passed until Johnson had been discovered. The body of 17-year-old Johnson was found upside down in a mat in Lowndes County High School in January 2013. He wrote that the FBI reviewed footage from 62 cameras on campus, and Johnson never crossed paths with the brothers. estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. 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. The dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, told the TV station she is not surprised by the sheriffs findings. Attorney. Kendrick Johnson's death made national news, not on the day his body was discovered, but in weeks . [29], In November 2015, the Department of Justice filed a motion in the civil case to intervene and stay the case. You do not believe there was anything criminal? Thomas asked Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. The late teen's parents, Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson, filed the lawsuit in January, claiming their son was the victim of foul play. "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, WAGA-TV. Paulk also claimed a camera in the gymnasium which apparently shows Johnson before his death was realigned 13 months earlier. CNN has not independently inspected all the evidence that the sheriff reviewed. Investigators will now comb through 17 boxes of evidence, which were previously sealed. 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. Im going through everything myself, Paulk said. 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. Updated 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. The case was closed almost half a decade ago due to insufficient evidence of foul play, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. We dont know whether its credible or not, hesaid. Law enforcement has ruled Kendrick's death an . [21] Other missing footage was the result of the camera's motion-activated function not being triggered. Johnsons parents have said they think their son was killed. I will fight as long as I have to, to uncover what happened to Kendrick Johnson.. Thats the craziest lie you could have told. However, the coroner said these organs were not sent to the funeral home because they were too decomposed and were instead disposed of beforehand. Pure evil. [17] A spokesperson for the Secretary of State said that the investigation found that the funeral home "didn't violate any rules. Though Paulk said the investigation may take up to six months, both he and the Johnson family are optimistic that justice will finally be served. The sheriff said investigators are working to verify the recording and how the individual received the information in order to "follow the chain of custody. Jackie Johnson told Thomas moments after the sheriff released his findings that shell continue to ask the Department of Justice to reopen its investigation. In the latest report, Paulk dispelled rumors that Johnson and the Bell brothers had any contact on the day Johnson died. Sheriff says case closed after his investigation finds Kendrick Johnsons death was no crime, Sheriff says recording thought to show proof Kendrick Johnson was murdered, was a cruel hoax. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. 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. Absolutely, they were extorted.. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. When rolled up, the mat left a 14-inch hole in diameter in the center. A Warner Bros. 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. Thats the craziest lie you could have told, Johnson said of Paulks probe. But investigators quickly closed their case on the theory that Johnson had simply fallen into the mat while reaching for one of his sneakers. The police took videotape from the school and could see him entering the gym, but they havent released video that shows anything else. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Parents' lawsuit in Georgia gym mat death is dismissed. 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 emotions are reflective of one someone who has a burden like hell on their shoulders.. Kendrick Johnsons shoe laying in the pool of blood. 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. Frederick, MD tanker explosion leaves 1 dead; Shuts down part of US-15, Georgia baby girl reported missing with man diagnosed with mental illness, police say, Jesse Wilson: Adoptive mother arrested in boy's death in Arizona, Georgia Power proposes $2.1-billion rate hike, Floyd County cleaning up after trees, power lines downed during severe storms, Clayton County twin sisters make history rising the ranks in Georgia UPS facility, Surveillance captures shooting death of man robbed at MARTA bus stop, Alex Murdaugh killed wife, son to buy time, prosecutor says, UGA football staffer drunk and traveling over 100 mph before fatal crash, police say, DNA links Indiana man to Georgia woman's 33-year-old cold case murder: sheriff. "[35][36], On March 10, 2021, the case was officially reopened. 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. Respondents include three of Johnson's classmates (two or three respondents are unnamed) and local, state, and federal officials: the school superintendent of Lowndes County, the Valdosta-Lowndes crime lab, the police chief of Valdosta, many sheriff's deputies, the city of Valdosta, the state medical examiner, the GBI and five of its agents, and one FBI agent. 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. "[11] Johnson's family questioned this hypothesis. Not a big deal, perhaps, except, Another student had an issue with Kendrick and had threatened him several times over a girlfriend. 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. Johnson was the main "sniper" for the 103 gang, Seely said. Investigators ruled it an accident but his family and other people nationwide believe he was murdered. A recently-completed investigation found no evidence of a coverup in the 2013 death of Kendrick Johnson, who was found in a rolled-up mat at his Georgia high school. Published on February 1, 2022 08:45 AM. Forensic experts are conducting voice comparison analysis on the speaker captured in the recording. 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. Verifying the tapes authenticity is indispensable, he added. The parents asserted that the sons of the FBI agent killed Johnson and used their connections to cover up the investigation. News of the re-opened investigation was welcomed by Johnson's family. In 2015, the Johnson family filed a wrongful death suit against brothers Brian and Branden Bell, and another peer, Ryan Hall, who they allege are responsible for Kendrick Johnsons death. We provide you with a list of the top 15 best true crime documentaries that every true crime fan will thoroughly enjoy. Lowndes County is in southern Georgia. For a brilliantly done docuseries on Kendrick Johnson, watch Ashes to Ashs vlogcast! He died on January 10 in the school's gym. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Itll be a lot of work, he explained. But it doesnt look like thats ever going to happen.. [11] Some of the apparent lapses in coverage were found to result from camera systems that were not synchronized with one another. [40], "Kendrick Johnson" redirects here. [26], Shortly before the lawsuit was filed, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore said in a statement that a federal investigation was still open and that "the investigation has proven more complicated and taken longer than originally anticipated. These issues dont mean that someone will kill someone else, however. Thing is, he wasn't just found dead. indicated signs of foul play in the teen's death, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. Body Parts Are Missing: Newly-Released Footage of Kendrick Johnsons Last Moments, the Latest in Troubling Death Investigation, Rick Bell, was an FBI special agent who ultimately resigned, Johnsons organs were returned to his body following the autopsy, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast.