Now, the sheriffs have enough evidence in hand to perhaps allow them to solve this mystery once and for all. 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. 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. Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told Oxygen.com. Johnson's head was pointed toward the floor in the. 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. Kendrick Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up gym mat in January. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. We dont know whether its credible or not, hesaid. Johnsons shoulders measured 19 across and he was five feet, ten inches tall. 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. [2], Authorities hypothesized that Johnson had fallen into the mat while looking for a shoe and died after being unable to get out. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office reopened Kendrick's case last March. I just keep waiting for someone to be honest with [the Johnsons], Karen Bell, the mother of Brian and Branden Bell, said. The Valdosta County Sheriff offered half a million dollars of his own money in response to the negative outcry about a recent report released . We know that.. But those dreams were cut short when his body was found by students entering the gymnasium rolled up in a standing gym mat. 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. Kendrick Johnson's death made national news, not on the day his body was discovered, but in weeks . Kendrick Johnson was black and the Lowndes County Sheriff, Chris Prines, and his investigators were all white. On January 11, 2013, the body of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found in the most unusual of circumstances: upside-down and rolled up in a school gym mat. "Im treating it like its a brand new case," Paulk said, according to the newspaper. "[35][36], On March 10, 2021, the case was officially reopened. The pathologist concluded his death was not an accident. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. The mat was vertical. [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. But investigators quickly closed their case on the theory that Johnson had simply fallen into the mat while reaching for one of his sneakers. Im going through everything myself, Paulk said. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. All things mysterious, murderous, and macabre. A family spokesperson told NPR they are "cautiously. 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. We already knew what team you were on. Theres still a lot of questions people want answered," Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said. 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. MATTIE'S CALL: A 9-month-old baby girl was reported missing from the Ellenwood area with a man police say was diagnosed with a mental illness. Kendrick Johnson was found dead in a gym mat at Lowndes High School in January 2013. Nearly a decade after Kendrick Johnsons body was found in a high school gymnasium, investigators have announced a new probe into the Black teenagers mysterious death. Absolutely, they were extorted.. [29], In November 2015, the Department of Justice filed a motion in the civil case to intervene and stay the case. 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. Possible Audio Confession In Kendrick Johnson's Death Investigated. [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. Johnson's family has rejected officials' determination that Johnson's death was accidental and has accused brothers Brian and Branden Bell of murdering Johnson. "[26] After Moore resigned in 2015,[27] the case was transferred to the Northern District of Ohio under U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach. In June 2018, Kendrick Johnsons body was exhumed for a second time and a third autopsy was performed. [21] Other missing footage was the result of the camera's motion-activated function not being triggered. The only way Im going to know is to look at the evidence myself.. 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. 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. However, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced the re-opening of the case on Tuesday. 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. in Georgiais now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. [2] That left a void, which the funeral home filled. All Rights Reserved. [14] The governor's office released a statement indicating that they would await the report of the U.S. 2. 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. The US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio declined to comment. "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, WAGA-TV. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. This will be the final [investigation], as far as Im concerned, he said. Pure evil. 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. 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. The group is. [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. 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. Policeand eventually the state's Though it was quickly ruled an accidental death, Kendrick's family thought something was wrong. Discovery Company. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. But it is what it is.. Its been eight long years, said Kendrick Johnsons mother, Jacquelyn. Paulk estimated it might take six months to process everything. 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. Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. Paulk noted that Branden Bell left campus an hour before Johnson vanished. After this sad look at the case and death of Kendrick Johnson, read up on another mysterious disappearance, that of Elisa Lam. [31] They were subsequently sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees[32] and $1,000,000 in defamation damages. I really hope that he . Allegedly they were in an altercation on a school bus prior to Kendricks death. TheLowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. 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. A Warner Bros. The brothers father,Rick Bell, was an FBI special agent who ultimately resignedafter his home was raided and searched for evidence, according to NBC. Despite these resignations, the Department of Justice investigation continued. 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. . One of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. In their lawsuit, the parents of the accused boys assert that their sons were not involved in the death, are not considered suspects, and have been harassed as a result of the publication. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. 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. [12] The family retained the services of attorney Benjamin Crump. Im going through everything myself, Paulk said,estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. 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.. This finding further increased the confidence of doubters that this death was an accident. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Lowndes County Sheriff's findings on death of Kendrick Johnson by Jennifer Smith on Scribd. It includes photographs from the schools gymnasium. As he was upside down, blood would have rushed to Johnsons head and he eventually would have begun to bleed from his facial orifices. For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, told WAGA-TV. Students had also told police that it was common for them to leave their belongings in the mats when they didnt want to pay for a locker. They also reported that the blood had likely been there for a long time. 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. 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. The mat in which Johnson was found was around six feet tall. The new findings were the result of a second investigation by the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office following one by the FBI. Authorities say they are working to verify an audio recording of someone admitting to Kendrick Johnson's death. August 17, 2021. [PHOTOS: Images included in Kendrick Johnson death findings report]. Listen Now Episode Info Johnson was the main "sniper" for the 103 gang, Seely said. In 2013, Johnsons body was found rolled up in a mat inside a Valdosta-area high school gymnasium. Crime Junkie did the same thing. 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. 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. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. [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. "This week we are trying Kendrick Johnson as the shooter, the organizer and the planner of Delindsey Mack's murder," she told . 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. Attorneys in Atlanta describe widespread delays and disruptions to other cases as the prosecution of Young Thug . [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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You are not on the team of righteousness, Jackie Johnson said. High-traffic streets like Norman Drive in. Almost a full day had passed until Johnson had been discovered. [28] Shortly after receiving the case, Dettlebach also resigned. 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 Johnsons have filed several lawsuits since their son's death, winning none of them. 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. "If it's a hoax, it's a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson," he said. Ebony.com described the murder of Johnson to have been at the hands of two white brothers, though they did not include names. [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 article used as a source an anonymous email to the sheriff's office. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Many speculate a darker reality. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. VALDOSTA, Ga. - The brothers accused in a civil suit of killing Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teen found dead inside a rolled-up gym mat in his high school two years ago, are suing Johnson's . Now, positional asphyxia is a legitimate cause of death. No further information was readily provided by law enforcement. In 2018, an. News of the re-opened investigation was welcomed by Johnson's family. The photo, in which Kendrick Johnsons face is extremely swollen, almost does not look human. I made a promise to the people Id go through every piece of [evidence].. We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch. '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. Looking for interesting and mysterious true crime documentaries? 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. Finding Kendrick Johnson is an interesting true crime documentary. When rolled up, the mat left a 14-inch hole in diameter in the center. His family and friends described him as a sweet and quiet boy. Tweet. You do not believe there was anything criminal? Thomas asked Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. For a brilliantly done docuseries on Kendrick Johnson, watch Ashes to Ashs vlogcast! On January 11, 2013, the body of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found in the most unusual of circumstances: upside-down and rolled up in a school gym mat. 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. This is a very unusual accident. His parents believe Kendrick was murdered. It seemed possible that if Kendrick was trying to squeeze into the center of the mat, he could have scrunched his shoulders together to make himself narrower. Verifying the tapes authenticity is indispensable, he added. [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. [23] It alleged that Johnson was attacked on a bus trip 14 months prior to his death. He wrote that the FBI reviewed footage from 62 cameras on campus, and Johnson never crossed paths with the brothers. The, death was ultimately ruled accidental and amedical examiner concluded the teen died from, nearly five years ago due to "insufficient evidence", Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told, . Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson said. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. A number of community activists have also spoken out in favor of the forthcoming probe into the Georgia teens death. 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 . Attorney. 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. Paulk, who was not part of the sheriffs office at the time of Johnsons death, requested the evidence gathered during the federal probe in April 2019 as part of his re-examination of the case, but federal investigators initially declined his request. [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. Tuesday marks 10 years since Kendrick died. The Johnsons have a GoFundMe account open to hire a private investigator to look into what they say is new evidence. Given the slender opening in the gym mat, this is certainly plausible, even though Kendrick was exceptionally physically fit. 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. 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.

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