The three teens were classmates. Looking for interesting and mysterious true crime documentaries? Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson's body inside an upright mat. [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. Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. The amended report stated his cause and manner of death were undetermined. But investigators quickly closed their case on the theory that Johnson had simply fallen into the mat while reaching for one of his sneakers. A sheriff in Valdosta, Georgia, has concluded that there is no evidence of a crime in the January 2013 death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, who was found dead in a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School. The Grizzlies played in Denver on Friday night and are scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Saturday . [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. Community hosts balloon release for Kendrick Johnson 10 years after his The dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, told the TV station she is not surprised by the sheriffs findings. The familys attorney, Chevene King, expressed thatif Kendrick had been white, the case would have been handled differently. Policeand eventually the state's We know that.. 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. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. His sneakers were shoved behind his knees. Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told Oxygen.com. As he was upside down, blood would have rushed to Johnsons head and he eventually would have begun to bleed from his facial orifices. 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. Verifying the tapes authenticity is indispensable, he added. Kendrick Johnson Death Case Reopened 8 Years Later | Crime News This is how you roll in Valdosta, Jackie Johnson said. The group is. 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. The Johnsons were extorted out of $1,000 for a tape that contains an individual admitting to their involvement, he alleged. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch. Im going through everything myself, Paulk said. (@tomjones161 via twitter) The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is insisting. Video shows Johnson walking into and then through the gym on January 10, 2013. Take a look at the list below for all the gory details! "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, WAGA-TV. Investigators did not take the hoodie and orange and black gym shoes into evidence. Paulk also claimed a camera in the gymnasium which apparently shows Johnson before his death was realigned 13 months earlier. 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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. [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. 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.. [14] The governor's office released a statement indicating that they would await the report of the U.S. Crime Weekly: Tragic Accident or Police Cover-Up?: Kendrick Johnson 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. All things mysterious, murderous, and macabre. But it is what it is.. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. ", Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. An investigation into the death of Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teenager found dead in a rolled-up gym mat eight years ago, has been reopened, according to Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. appreciated. The sheriff said he spent 15 months reading every page in that file, but found that they did not show any criminal action whatsoever.. The article used as a source an anonymous email to the sheriff's office. Why The Accidental Death Of Kendrick Johnson Remains Suspicious To This Day. Attorneys for the Johnson family expressed fears that the camera footage was edited as part of a cover-up. He was a three-sport athlete and dreamed of playing professional football. But those dreams were cut short when his body was found by students entering the gymnasium rolled up in a standing gym mat. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office reopened Kendrick's case last March. 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. CNN has not independently inspected all the evidence that the sheriff reviewed. CNNKendrick Johnsons shoe laying in the pool of blood. Required fields are marked *. The emotions are reflective of one someone who has a burden like hell on their shoulders.. Prosecutor unravels yarn of teen love, betrayal, violence during murder 'Finding Kendrick Johnson': True crime doc with a message - AIPT 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. Kendrick Johnson's family and several friends gathered and held a balloon . He also stated thefuneral home never had Johnsons organs, saying they were discarded by the prosecutor before the body was sent back to Valdosta for burial. Kendrick Johnson was a Georgia teen, who was found dead inside a rolled up wrestling mat. 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. 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, . A private pathologist was hired to carry out a second autopsy. On June 20, 2016, the Department of Justice announced that it would not be filing any criminal charges related to Johnson's death. They soon discover that not only is something wrong, but things go much deeper than they ever imagined. You want to go on the top of a mountain and scream, Look, people, the evidence is there, Karen Bell added. Kendrick Johnson death investigation will be reopened, Georgia - CNN Johnson's mother told Channel 2s Tony Thomas . Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. 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. That material included grand jury testimony, results from an autopsy conducted by federal authorities and additional digital evidence. This will be the final [investigation], as far as Im concerned, he said. Then, read about the horrifying murder of Emmett Till. I wont deem it credible until I can look at the source, find out where [he] got it from.. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. They wont publicly say what that new info is. You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? [21] Other missing footage was the result of the camera's motion-activated function not being triggered. "[11] Johnson's family questioned this hypothesis. This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 04:38. Listen Now Episode Info 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. Thing is, he wasn't just found dead. Kendrick Johnsons shoe laying in the pool of blood. Paulk wrote that he reviewed 17 boxes of files from the FBI, Department of Justice, and local authorities while revisiting this case. [2], Authorities hypothesized that Johnson had fallen into the mat while looking for a shoe and died after being unable to get out. The suit alleges the boys family conspired with former Lowndes County Sheriff Chris Prine and county school officials to cover up the death. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. All rights reserved, Privacy Policy|Online Content Agreement, Third Autopsy shows Kendrick Johnson Suffered blunt Force Trauma, Positional Asphyxia: Death due to Unusual Head-Down Position in a Narrow Space, Kendrick Johnson lawsuit: Feds want attorneys to stop collecting evidence, Parents of Georgia teen found dead in gym mate rally for inquiry, National civil right attorney no longer involved in Kenrick Johnson case, Kendrick Johnson family hold rally after filing complaint about missing organs, No wrong doing detected in Kendrick Johnson funeral home probe, Kendrick Johnson footage released; expert find it highly suspicious, KJ family drops $100 million wrongful death suit, Local, federal investigations into gym mat death continue. 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. in Georgiais now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. Johnsons mother told Channel 2s Tony Thomas that shes not surprised by the findings. . Johnson's family has rejected officials' determination that Johnson's death was accidental and has accused brothers Brian and Branden Bell of murdering Johnson. VALDOSTA, Ga. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. R.I.P Kendrick Johnson FacebookOne of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. Lowndes County is in southern Georgia. Authorities were tight-lipped about whether the Bell brothers were suspects in Kendrick Johnsons death. Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson said. Nonetheless, the investigation cleared the funeral home of any wrongdoing. 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. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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. Kendrick Johnson: A second local investigation into the death of - CNN True crime; doubtful solutions - The Boston Globe 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. . 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. Kendrick Johnson: Confession tape in death of high - Crime Online We have buried kj 3 times and it felt like 3 funerals and i lost him 3 times.. 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. The body of 17-year-old Johnson was found upside down in a mat in Lowndes County High School in January 2013. 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. 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. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. Kendrick Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up gym mat in January. [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. [40], "Kendrick Johnson" redirects here. For years, however, the teenagers family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to stifle the familys pleas for justice. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Share. Although no charges were ever brought to light, and his death was ruled accidental.. Kendrick Johnsons body inside an upright mat. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. [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." Lowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. Johnson, 17, was found dead in Lowndes High School's gymnasium in January 2013. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office closed its initial investigation into Kendrick Johnson's death on May 2, 2013, nearly four months after the 17-year-old was found in the school gym in Valdosta. The Johnsons hoped for a coroners inquest, which would begin the process ofreclassifying the cause of Kendrick Johnsons death as non-accidental and reopening the investigation. And potentially missing videotape? 2023 Cox Media Group. Johnson's head was pointed toward the floor in the. Thats the craziest lie you could have told. [31] They were subsequently sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees[32] and $1,000,000 in defamation damages. '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. Essential, you asphyxiate (either by suffocation or lack of oxygen) due to the position of your bodya position in which you cant get yourself out. 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. You are not on the team of righteousness., The family is raising $400,000 to benefit the Kendrick Johnson Foundations mission to raise awareness on the need for increased supervision and safety within our public schools. In their GoFundMe page post, Johnson writes, On January 10, 2013, Kendricks life was tragically cut short when he was discovered dead in a rolled-up gym mat, under highly suspicious circumstances., A subsequent autopsy conducted by our forensic pathologist subsequently confirmed our worst nightmare that our sons death was no accident, she continues. 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. A second local investigation into the 2013 death of Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teenager who was found dead in a rolled-up gym mat, has been closed with no charges filed, according to a report . 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. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. On June 22, 2018, Johnson's body was exhumed.[19]. Your email address will not be published. "[18] The Johnson family subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against the funeral home, seeking monetary damages. [11] Some of the apparent lapses in coverage were found to result from camera systems that were not synchronized with one another. I just keep waiting for someone to be honest with [the Johnsons], Karen Bell, the mother of Brian and Branden Bell, said.

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