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. 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 individual in question could face extortion charges if the recording is phony,Paulk said. 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Authorities say they are working to verify an audio recording of someone admitting to Kendrick Johnson's death. NY Daily News/Valdosta/Lowndes Regional Crime Labratory via CNNKendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson 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 . Im feeling hopeful.. Finally, in March 2021, authorities reopened their investigation into Kendrick Johnsons death. Furthermore, a second autopsy showed non-accidental blunt force trauma to the back of the neck. On Jan. 11, 2013, Johnson's body was discovered in a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School. Kendrick died as a result of blunt force trauma to his person. Published on February 1, 2022 08:45 AM. 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. 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. Share. We knew what the outcome would be from the very beginning, Kendricks father, Kenneth Johnson, told CNN. 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. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. A coach found out he was dead. Possible Audio Confession In Kendrick Johnson's Death Investigated. Over the years, the Johnsons have publicly implicated brothers Brian and Branden Bell in Kendricks death. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. 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. 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. Listen, Im a high school teacher. High-traffic streets like Norman Drive in. [29], In November 2015, the Department of Justice filed a motion in the civil case to intervene and stay the case. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. 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. It does appear, however, that their quest for answers has only led to more questions. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. I made a promise to the people Id go through every piece of [evidence].. For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told Oxygen.com. 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. 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. On May 8, 2013, a judge granted Kendrick Johnsons body be exhumed. [11] However, analysis of the camera systems by the Valdosta Daily Times purported to explain the anomalies, casting doubt on the theory of a cover-up. We have a good picture of him and a pretty good description. 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. 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, . I will fight as long as I have to, to uncover what happened to Kendrick Johnson.. 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. Im going through everything myself, Paulk said,estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. Kendrick Johnson lived with his family in Valdosta, Georgia and attended Lowndes High School. 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. Required fields are marked *. of foul play, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. . This is how you roll in Valdosta, Jackie Johnson said. 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. 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. TheLowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. 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. The case follows a young man that was found dead in 2013. Nonetheless, the investigation cleared the funeral home of any wrongdoing. The brothers father,Rick Bell, was an FBI special agent who ultimately resignedafter his home was raided and searched for evidence, according to NBC. 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. "This week we are trying Kendrick Johnson as the shooter, the organizer and the planner of Delindsey Mack's murder," she told . According to Paulk, it was Kendrick Johnson's mother, Jackie Johnson, who obtained the recording and turned it in to investigators. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. [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. 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 . 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. The initial autopsy revealed that Johnson died due to positional asphyxia or that he suffocated as a result of being stuck upside-down in an enclosed space for an extended period of time. 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. 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. 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. R.I.P Kendrick Johnson FacebookOne of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. [PHOTOS: Images included in Kendrick Johnson death findings report]. Months after his death, Lowndes County Sheriffs Office investigators ruled it was an accident and closed the case. The Lowndes County Sheriff's. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Coleman called for the individuals immediate arrest. 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. 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. Not a big deal, perhaps, except, Another student had an issue with Kendrick and had threatened him several times over a girlfriend. [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. Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. Attorney. [40], "Kendrick Johnson" redirects here. ", Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. But his parents would later maintain that his size versus the size of the mat alone was enough to debunk the investigators case. The Johnsons were also sure that their sons body had been moved, which was corroborated by Lowndes County Coroner, Bill Watson. 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. He was just in his socks. 1 of 2. Finding Kendrick Johnson is an interesting true crime documentary. (@tomjones161 via twitter) The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is insisting. [25], In January 2015, Johnson's family filed a $100 million civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of DeKalb County against 38 individuals. Thing is, he wasnt just found dead. 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 . appreciated. indicated signs of foul play in the teen's death, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. You're in for a treat! 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.. The next investigation was a federal one. Thats the craziest lie you could have told, Johnson said of Paulks probe. Take a look at the list below for all the gory details! His sneakers were shoved behind his knees. Tweet. "It has been our position that Kendrick was struck with an object that caused severe hemorrhaging, Coleman also told WAGA-TV. Kendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. Updated The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Georgia was recused from the investigation many years ago.. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. I wont deem it credible until I can look at the source, find out where [he] got it from.. However,. [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. Earlier in March, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced that officials were reopening the investigation and reevaluating the previously-sealed evidence. [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. Johnsons parents finally believed that their sons death was not being taken seriously because of his race. 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. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. 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. A hoodie and a pair of orange and black gym shoes were also found lying on the floor of the gym, as well as traces of blood on the wall nearby. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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. 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. The US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio declined to comment. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants were negligent and violated Johnson's constitutional right to equal protection based on race. Thats the craziest lie you could have told. [39] He further stated that two brothers, named in previous legal actions by the Johnsons, are not suspects. 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. In June 2018, Kendrick Johnsons body was exhumed for a second time and a third autopsy was performed. 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.. Speculation and outrageous theories always run wild and it takes away from the victims story. The Bell family has previously deflected blame in the incident; now, Karen Bell says she's upset by the renewed investigative efforts. 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. For a brilliantly done docuseries on Kendrick Johnson, watch Ashes to Ashs vlogcast! 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. 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 released by Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. The mat was vertical. Kendrick Johnsons parents released a photo to the media of their sons face as he lay in the funeral home. 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. Many speculate a darker reality. 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. The late teen's parents, Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson, filed the lawsuit in January, claiming their son was the victim of foul play. This time, the autopsy revealed that Kendrick Johnson had suffered hemorrhaging on the right side of his neck, which meant that he likely died from blunt force trauma. You do not believe there was anything criminal? Thomas asked Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. Justice denied. 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. You want to go on the top of a mountain and scream, Look, people, the evidence is there, Karen Bell added.
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