Johnsons parents have said they think their son was killed. 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. A recording that reportedly contains an emotional confession of an individual who may have been involved in the suspicious 2013 death of teenager Kendrick Johnson in Georgia is now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. I will fight as long as I have to, to uncover what happened to Kendrick Johnson.. 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. Just after 24 hours of being found, the investigators ruled Johnsons death an accident. The individual in question could face extortion charges if the recording is phony,Paulk said. News of the re-openedinvestigation was welcomed by Johnsons family. But still an accident? Thomas wondered. The request, however, was denied, even though the coroner Bill Watson had originally expressed a lack of confidence in the Sheriff Departments handling of the case. In a statement to CNN, the US Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Georgia said, the final conclusion in the Kendrick Johnson investigation was reached and announced in 2016 by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio (USAO NDOH), which handled the matter. 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. 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 . Itll be a lot of work, he explained. 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. 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. [12][16] Johnson's family filed a complaint with a regulatory body against the funeral home operator. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. 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. Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. Johnson's family didn't accept the. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. Indeed, in 2013, racism in Valdosta, Georgia, was still very much alive. On May 8, 2013, a judge granted Kendrick Johnsons body be exhumed. For a brilliantly done docuseries on Kendrick Johnson, watch Ashes to Ashs vlogcast! 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 sheriff says case closed again but he will reopen it if someone brings him verified new information. . Share. The Johnson family spoke Thursday in front of the sheriffs department, criticizing the report released Wednesday. 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. 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. Finding Kendrick Johnson is an interesting true crime documentary. After extensive investigation into this tragic event, federal investigators determined that there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone or some group of people willfully violated Kendrick Johnsons civil rights or committed any other prosecutable federal crime, it said in a statement. The sheriff released a 16-page summary of his investigation on Wednesday including pictures from the Lowndes County gym. 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, . For the sake of his family, I hope that the case of Kendrick Johnson can be closed in a way that provides closure. 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. Furthermore, Johnsons parents argued, if this was an accident, how could no one have heard Kendrick call for help in a high school of over 3,000 students? [28] Shortly after receiving the case, Dettlebach also resigned. NY Daily News/Valdosta/Lowndes Regional Crime Labratory via CNNKendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. Download theGrio today! 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. [2] That left a void, which the funeral home filled. We are cautiously optimistic now.. appreciated. [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. 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. [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. Johnsons mother told Channel 2s Tony Thomas that shes not surprised by the findings. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. He said the camera needed to be adjusted after a basketball hit it. estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. The new findings were the result of a second investigation by the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office following one by the FBI. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. I made a promise to the people Id go through every piece of [evidence].. Verifying the tapes authenticity is indispensable, he added. 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 emotions are reflective of one someone who has a burden like hell on their shoulders.. 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. Kendrick Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up gym mat in January. On January 11, 2013, the body of Kendrick Johnson (October 10, 1995 January 10, 2013) was discovered inside a vertical rolled-up mat in the gymnasium of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, United States, where he was a student. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. 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. Jackie Johnson told Thomas moments after the sheriff released his findings that shell continue to ask the Department of Justice to reopen its investigation. The article used as a source an anonymous email to the sheriff's office. 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. "[35][36], On March 10, 2021, the case was officially reopened. The Lowndes County Sheriff's. The Bells father, a former FBI agent, is accused of directing officials to obscure the investigation, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [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. Seventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. 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. Parents' lawsuit in Georgia gym mat death is dismissed. This is a very unusual accident. He was a three-sport athlete and dreamed of playing professional football. 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. On June 22, 2018, Johnson's body was exhumed.[19]. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. 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. The cameras which faced the mats were unfocussed and skipped around. 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. Almost a full day had passed until Johnson had been discovered. [33], On June 20, 2016, the Department of Justice announced that they would not be filing any criminal charges related to Johnson's death, stating, "After extensive investigation into this tragic event, federal investigators determined that there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone or some group of people willfully violated Kendrick Johnson's civil rights or committed any other prosecutable federal crime. The parents asserted that the sons of the FBI agent killed Johnson and used their connections to cover up the investigation. [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. I would be suspicious too, if I were Kendricks parents, that there may be some kind of cover up occurring because, lets face it, who has ever heard of someone dying in a rolled up gym mat? Absolutely, they were extorted.. The Johnsons were also sure that their sons body had been moved, which was corroborated by Lowndes County Coroner, Bill Watson. 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. [2], Authorities hypothesized that Johnson had fallen into the mat while looking for a shoe and died after being unable to get out. [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. Discovery Company. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. [PHOTOS: Images included in Kendrick Johnson death findings report]. But you have to wonder. 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. 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. 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. [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." The YSL Case Is Stretching Fulton County's Justice System to Its Breaking Point. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The post Kendrick Johnsons case closed after authorities say no crime found appeared first on TheGrio. Earlier in March, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced that officials were reopening the investigation and reevaluating the previously-sealed evidence. You do not believe there was anything criminal? reporter Tony Thomas asked Paulk. [29], In November 2015, the Department of Justice filed a motion in the civil case to intervene and stay the case. "[11] Johnson's family questioned this hypothesis. 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. I wont deem it credible until I can look at the source, find out where [he] got it from.. [17] A spokesperson for the Secretary of State said that the investigation found that the funeral home "didn't violate any rules. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. Lowndes County is in southern Georgia. Kendrick Johnson (Part 1) Crime Weekly. The mat was vertical. The Johnsons were extorted out of $1,000 for a tape that contains an individual admitting to their involvement, he alleged. Kendrick Johnsons casket was unearthed for a second time for a third autopsy. Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson stand next to a banner on their SUV showing their late son Kendrick, in Valdosta, Ga., in December 2013. Not a big deal, perhaps, except, Another student had an issue with Kendrick and had threatened him several times over a girlfriend. It includes photographs from the schools gymnasium. Updated 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. 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. "We ain't cheering, but we know this is the only path that we can get for justice for Kendrick Johnson," Marcus Coleman said this week. 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. Investigators will now comb through 17 boxes of evidence, which were previously sealed. For years, however, the teenager's family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to . 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. He died on January 10 in the school's gym. Authorities say it appears he was trying to reach for a shoe he had left inside the mat before winter break, got stuck and died. We know that.. Johnsons family, however, said they areconfident the 25-second audio clip is authentic and that it could lead to criminal charges in the case. 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. 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 mat was vertical. "Theres still a lot of questions people want answered.". Kendrick Johnson's Family's Quest For Answers Moves To Georgia Capitol", "National Civil Rights Attorney No Longer Involved In Kendrick Johnson Case | Valdosta Today", "Kendrick Johnson family holds rally after filing complaint about missing organs", "Parents of Georgia teen found dead in gym mat sue funeral home", "No Wrongdoing Detected in Kendrick Johnson Funeral Home Probe", "Kendrick Johnson footage released; expert finds it 'highly suspicious', "Rose, Touchton believe no coverup in Johnson case", "Georgia school officials sued in Kendrick Johnson's gym death", "Local, federal investigations into gym mat death continue", "FBI agent, wife file $5 million defamation suit against Ebony.com and crime writer for KJ stories", "Parents File $100 Million Suit in Gym-Mat Death of Georgia Teen Kendrick Johnson", "Second U.S. Attorney in charge of KJ case resigns", "Kendrick Johnson probe: Attorney exits mark shift", "KJ Family Drops $100 Million Wrongful Death Suit | Valdosta Today", "US Justice Department: No criminal charges in gym mat death", "Judge: Parents owe $292,000 for suit in son's gym mat death", "Investigation into death of Georgia teen found in a rolled-up gym mat 8 years ago will be reopened", "Georgia sheriff vows to personally, thoroughly investigate re-opened case of teen found dead in gym mat", "Sheriff reopens Kendrick Johnson case in Valdosta", "A second local investigation into the death of a Georgia teen found in a rolled-up gym mat has closed with no charges filed", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Death_of_Kendrick_Johnson&oldid=1136987199. 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. Investigation into death of Georgia teen found in a rolled-up gym mat 8 years ago will be reopened. Kendrick Johnson's family and several friends gathered and held a balloon . We already knew what team you were on. Your email address will not be published. This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 04:38. In the latest report, Paulk dispelled rumors that Johnson and the Bell brothers had any contact on the day Johnson died. 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 lawsuit alleged that the FBI agent ordered his two sons and a classmate to attack Johnson, that his death was a murder, and that the respondents engaged in a conspiracy to cover up the homicide. The amended report stated his cause and manner of death were undetermined. His body was discovered by a teacher the next day rolled up inside the gym mat. High-traffic streets like Norman Drive in. [26] Jim Elliott, the Lowndes County Attorney, stated that the allegations were "unfounded" and "baseless" and that any response would be made in court. Paulk also claimed a camera in the gymnasium which apparently shows Johnson before his death was realigned 13 months earlier. 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. Published on February 1, 2022 08:45 AM. Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. 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.". A Warner Bros. As far as the feds were concerned, the case was officially and finally closed. 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. But, There are some strange pieces to this case. 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 . He was never shown within or leaving the gym and indeed, he never did show up for his following classes. Authorities were tight-lipped about whether the Bell brothers were suspects in Kendrick Johnsons death. Johnson was the main "sniper" for the 103 gang, Seely said. Kendrick Johnson lived with his family in Valdosta, Georgia and attended Lowndes High School. Im feeling hopeful.. Thats the craziest lie you could have told. State medical examiners concluded that. You want to go on the top of a mountain and scream, Look, people, the evidence is there, Karen Bell added. Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson's body inside an upright mat. 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. [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. "Eight long years the crying, the tears, the backlash, being talked about, ridiculed it has not been easy," Johnson added. Authorities say they are working to verify an audio recording of someone admitting to Kendrick Johnson's death. A private pathologist was hired to carry out a second autopsy. 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We have a good picture of him and a pretty good description. [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. "If it's a hoax, it's a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson," he said. : No charges in Kendrick Johnson death, nr Blackwell Kendrick Johnson_00003415.jpg. 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. Abducted in Plain Sight "Im treating it like its a brand new case," Paulk said, according to the newspaper. the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. I do not, he replied. This is how you roll in Valdosta, Jackie Johnson said.