In November 2013, 290 hours of surveillance tape from 35 cameras that covered the gym area were released to CNN following a court request. The mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson was initially ruled an accident by law enforcement, but his family was not convinced. Kendrick Johnson: Confession tape in death of high - Crime Online 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. 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. 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.. The post Kendrick Johnsons case closed after authorities say no crime found appeared first on TheGrio. First, no one heard him? 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. 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. He was found dead in a rolled up wresting mat. For years, however, the teenager's family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to . 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. An autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined the cause of Johnsons death was accidental positional asphyxia. 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. CNN 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. "Eight long years the crying, the tears, the backlash, being talked about, ridiculed it has not been easy," Johnson added. Top 15 Best True Crime Documentaries To Watch 1. We have buried kj 3 times and it felt like 3 funerals and i lost him 3 times.. VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - Kendrick Johnson's family is full of hope after they brought a new recording to light with a possible confession to law enforcement. The dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, told the TV station she is not surprised by the sheriffs findings. Kendrick Johnson case: Video expert finds surveillance footage 'highly Discovery Company. [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." August 17, 2021. In 2013, Johnsons body was found rolled up in a mat inside a Valdosta-area high school gymnasium. Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson stand next to a banner on their SUV showing their late son Kendrick, in Valdosta, Ga., in December 2013. Kendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. [39] He further stated that two brothers, named in previous legal actions by the Johnsons, are not suspects. We know that.. He was found dead in a rolled up wresting mat. [23] It alleged that Johnson was attacked on a bus trip 14 months prior to his death. This is how you roll in Valdosta, the dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, said of the Lowndes County Sheriffs new findings. S3 Ep 26 "Results" The Kendrick Johnson Investigation - Investigative True Crime Series In this episode Ash and her team head to North Carolina. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Forensic experts are conducting voice comparison analysis on the speaker captured in the recording. : No charges in Kendrick Johnson death, nr Blackwell Kendrick Johnson_00003415.jpg. But still an accident? Thomas wondered. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. Paulk and his team were able to secure a wealth of evidence from federal authorities, in part thanks to an appeal from Johnsons family in November 2020. Seventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. FBI agent, sons countersue parents of Kendrick Johnson, Georgia teen 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. This is a very unusual accident. [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. Kendrick Johnson death investigation will be reopened, Georgia - CNN The mat in which Johnson was found was around six feet tall. Johnson was the main "sniper" for the 103 gang, Seely said. It's a shame we can't spend more time making fun of Perkins using his own experience in stat-padding to prove its existence, citing an obviously cherry-picked stat (MVP Magic Johnson finished 18th . "This week we are trying Kendrick Johnson as the shooter, the organizer and the planner of Delindsey Mack's murder," she told . 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 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. 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 with his mother and father, Kenneth and Jackie Johnson (The Johnson Family). The police took videotape from the school and could see him entering the gym, but they havent released video that shows anything else. That material included grand jury testimony, results from an autopsy conducted by federal authorities and additional digital evidence. Earlier in March, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced that officials were reopening the investigation and reevaluating the previously-sealed evidence. The photo, in which Kendrick Johnsons face is extremely swollen, almost does not look human. Verifying the tapes authenticity is indispensable, he added. 'Finding Kendrick Johnson' Documentary Shows Facts, Not Conspiracies In the latest report, Paulk dispelled rumors that Johnson and the Bell brothers had any contact on the day Johnson died. We have not had faith in Lowndes County. Johnson's mother told Channel 2s Tony Thomas . 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. [14] The governor's office released a statement indicating that they would await the report of the U.S. Kendrick Johnson's Death And The Chilling Story Behind It (@tomjones161 via twitter) The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is insisting. 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. Take a look at the list below for all the gory details! 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. The Johnsons were extorted out of $1,000 for a tape that contains an individual admitting to their involvement, he alleged. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. The familys attorney, Chevene King, expressed thatif Kendrick had been white, the case would have been handled differently. 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 Johnson Death Mystery: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know - Heavy.com R.I.P Kendrick Johnson FacebookOne of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. Crime Junkie did the same thing. Coleman called for the individuals immediate arrest. You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? Listen, Im a high school teacher. 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. 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. If authentic, the audio maybe one of the first significant clues to emerge since the cases reopening earlier this month by the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office. Kendrick Johnson Death Case Reopened 8 Years Later | Crime News The Johnson family spoke Thursday in front of the sheriffs department, criticizing the report released Wednesday. According to Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk, If theres questions and theyre legitimate I need to know the answers myself. Kendrick Johnson's family hosts grief support group nearing the 10-year Furthermore, a whole hour of footage from the gym was missing, right at the time which would have shed light on what happened that day. [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. 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. Kendrick Johnson was a 17-year-old student at Lowndes County High School. Authorities were tight-lipped about whether the Bell brothers were suspects in Kendrick Johnsons death. Paulks 16-page report, which was released Wednesday and published on Scribd, is divided into nine categories, including conspiring/cover, shoe storage in wresting mats, a fight that occurred on a bus trip among the wrestling team of which Johnson was a member, the teens autopsy and observations after the discovery of his body. [24] The magazine used pseudonyms but was otherwise accurate in descriptions of the boys, including the fact that their father was an FBI agent. Given the slender opening in the gym mat, this is certainly plausible, even though Kendrick was exceptionally physically fit. Almost a full day had passed until Johnson had been discovered. Investigators did not take the hoodie and orange and black gym shoes into evidence. Thing is, he wasn't just found dead. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. 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. 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.. The sheriff described the re-examination into Kendrick Johnsons death as afinal effort to bring some closure to the teens family. On May 8, 2013, a judge granted Kendrick Johnsons body be exhumed. Johnson's family didn't accept the. True crime; doubtful solutions - The Boston Globe Kendrick Johnson was black and the Lowndes County Sheriff, Chris Prines, and his investigators were all white. NY Daily News/Valdosta/Lowndes Regional Crime Labratory via CNNKendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. Sheriff says recording thought to show proof Kendrick Johnson was murdered, was a cruel hoax His family says despite the setback, they are not giving up hope. CNN has not independently inspected all the evidence that the sheriff reviewed. For a brilliantly done docuseries on Kendrick Johnson, watch Ashes to Ashs vlogcast! 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, . His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. Why The Accidental Death Of Kendrick Johnson Remains Suspicious To This Day. 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. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. 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. Kendrick Johnsons casket was unearthed for a second time for a third autopsy. KENDRICK JOHNSON: SHERIFF SAYS INVESTIGATION INTO GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE'S DEATH A 'WITCH HUNT' The investigative synopsis states classmates found Johnson. The case follows a young man that was found dead in 2013. 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. 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. 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. [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. Though it was quickly ruled an accidental death, Kendrick's family thought something was wrong. The teens parents say they are not convinced. [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. 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. According to Paulk, it was Kendrick Johnson's mother, Jackie Johnson, who obtained the recording and turned it in to investigators. Lowndes County Sheriff's findings on death of Kendrick Johnson by Jennifer Smith on Scribd. As far as the feds were concerned, the case was officially and finally closed. [15], Johnson's family filed a legal action to open a coroner's inquest into his death. Law enforcement has ruled Kendrick's death an . ", Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. They were sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees and more than one million in defamation charges. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants were negligent and violated Johnson's constitutional right to equal protection based on race. Kendrick Johnsons shoe laying in the pool of blood. Kendrick Johnson march calls for justice 10 years later The pathologist concluded his death was not an accident. The YSL Case Is Stretching Fulton County's Justice System to Its Breaking Point. [31] They were subsequently sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees[32] and $1,000,000 in defamation damages. Paulk said his review of the extensive FBI investigation, 17 boxes worth of evidence and his own look at the 2013 death of Johnson has come to the same conclusion. Johnsons mother told Channel 2s Tony Thomas that shes not surprised by the findings. 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. 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. The only way Im going to know is to look at the evidence myself.. Paulk noted that Branden Bell left campus an hour before Johnson vanished. 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. 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. But this is one of the most baffling mysteries of this case: the black and white gym shoe that lay on the ground below Kendrick Johnson, the one he was presumed to be reaching for, was lying on top of a pool of blood, but there was no blood on the shoe itself. Kendrick Johnson lived with his family in Valdosta, Georgia and attended Lowndes High School. Thats the craziest lie you could have told, Johnson said of Paulks probe. However, the coroner said these organs were not sent to the funeral home because they were too decomposed and were instead disposed of beforehand. "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, WAGA-TV. [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 emotions are reflective of one someone who has a burden like hell on their shoulders.. 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 mat was vertical. The three teens were classmates. The US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio declined to comment. Kendrick Johnson: Unsolved Crime or Tragic Accident? We knew what the outcome would be from the very beginning, Kendricks father, Kenneth Johnson, told CNN. estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. 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. Jury decides verdict in murder trial involving death of Lamar High In 2018, an independent autopsy indicated signs of foul play in the teen's death, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Finding Kendrick Johnson is an interesting true crime documentary. Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson said. But Johnsons parents felt that his death was not being taken seriously, in part because of his race, or because a larger cover-up was at play. Although no charges were ever brought to light, and his death was ruled accidental.. Furthermore, a second autopsy showed non-accidental blunt force trauma to the back of the neck. 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Download theGrio today! S3 Ep 26 "Results" The Kendrick Johnson Investigation - Investigative His family says despite the setback, they are not giving up hope. For the sake of his family, I hope that the case of Kendrick Johnson can be closed in a way that provides closure. Updated 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. In 2018, an. Lowndes County is in southern Georgia. 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. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. 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. [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. But it doesnt look like thats ever going to happen.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But his parents would later maintain that his size versus the size of the mat alone was enough to debunk the investigators case. 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. Johnsons parents finally believed that their sons death was not being taken seriously because of his race. 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. 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. [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. [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. I just keep waiting for someone to be honest with [the Johnsons], Karen Bell, the mother of Brian and Branden Bell, said. I wont deem it credible until I can look at the source, find out where [he] got it from.. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. Young Thug Trial: Court Slowdowns, Prosecution Delays - Rolling Stone Kendrick Johnson: Sheriff puts up $500K reward for information on Johnsons shoulders measured 19 across and he was five feet, ten inches tall. We already knew what team you were on. Kendrick Johnson: A second local investigation into the death of - CNN He was a three-sport athlete and dreamed of playing professional football. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The next day, a teacher found his body inside one of the rolled-up wrestling mats. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. 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.