2023 Cable News Network. Published on February 1, 2022 08:45 AM. Did you encounter any technical issues? Wikimedia CommonsSeventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Kendrick Johnson: Unsolved Crime or Tragic Accident. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. [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. 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. [38] The sheriff also stated he does not consider the case to be a homicide. We are cautiously optimistic now.. Lowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. Kendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. 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 . Im feeling hopeful.. 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 . 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. 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. Kendrick Johnson march calls for justice 10 years later As he was upside down, blood would have rushed to Johnsons head and he eventually would have begun to bleed from his facial orifices. [31] They were subsequently sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees[32] and $1,000,000 in defamation damages. Lowndes County police said they believed Kendrick crawled into the mat to retrieve his shoes, became stuck, and continued to burrow into the mat until he became completely trapped and died. Paulk also claimed a camera in the gymnasium which apparently shows Johnson before his death was realigned 13 months earlier. 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. 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. Download theGrio today! For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch, she contended. Authorities were tight-lipped about whether the Bell brothers were suspects in Kendrick Johnsons death. The case was closed almost half a decade ago due to insufficient evidence of foul play, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [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. Kendrick Johnson, photo from Medium.com 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 school's gymnasium. 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. 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. Johnsons family, however, said they areconfident the 25-second audio clip is authentic and that it could lead to criminal charges in the case. Draymond Green and Kendrick Perkins don't know it, but they are the first "openly MAGA" basketball players. Kendrick Johnson: Federal lawsuit DROPPED in death of - Crime Online His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. Theres still a lot of questions people want answered," Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said. 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. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. 2023 Cox Media Group. Idk why but this case in particular seems to bring out the worst in a lot of true crime podcast hosts. RELATED:Body Parts Are Missing: Newly-Released Footage of Kendrick Johnsons Last Moments, the Latest in Troubling Death Investigation. [17] A spokesperson for the Secretary of State said that the investigation found that the funeral home "didn't violate any rules. : No charges in Kendrick Johnson death, nr Blackwell Kendrick Johnson_00003415.jpg. Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson said. In 2018, an. Lowndes County Sheriff's findings on death of Kendrick Johnson by Jennifer Smith on Scribd. [24] The magazine used pseudonyms but was otherwise accurate in descriptions of the boys, including the fact that their father was an FBI agent. Though 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson's death was ruled accidental after his body was found inside a gym mat on January 11, 2013, many suspect foul play. The Lowndes County Sheriff's. 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 those dreams were cut short when his body was found by students entering the gymnasium rolled up in a standing gym mat. Kendrick Johnson was black and the Lowndes County Sheriff, Chris Prines, and his investigators were all white. They also reported that the blood had likely been there for a long time. 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. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. Indeed, in 2013, racism in Valdosta, Georgia, was still very much alive. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. "[11] Johnson's family questioned this hypothesis. [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." In the recently-released report, Paulk scrutinized an amended report that was released two years after the Office of Armed Forces Medical Examiner found in August 2014 that Johnson died of positional asphyxia and listed his death as accidental. It seems so much more likely to me that Kendrick Johnson's death was a tragic accident. 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 case closed after authorities say no crime found But still an accident? Thomas wondered. Attorneys for the Johnson family expressed fears that the camera footage was edited as part of a cover-up. Kendrick Johnson's family hosts grief support group nearing the 10-year Ebony.com described the murder of Johnson to have been at the hands of two white brothers, though they did not include names. Paulk noted that Branden Bell left campus an hour before Johnson vanished. [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. The mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson was initially ruled an accident by law enforcement, but his family was not convinced. WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta facebook feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta twitter feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta instagram feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta youtube feed(Opens a new window), Lowndes County Sheriff's findings on death of Kendrick Johnson, Missing Pennsylvania woman found alive after more than 30 years, Reality star Honey Boo Boo was inside speeding Dodge Charger involved in chase with Ga. deputies, Former Atlanta Hawk, Ga. Tech star charged with choking, kidnapping N.C. woman, Surveillance video shows moments leading up to deadly UGA crash, A 17-year-old Gwinnett County girl thought she was taking Percocet; now shes dead. 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. Kendrick Johnson: A second local investigation into the death of - CNN The case follows a young man that was found dead in 2013. Kendrick Johnsons parents released a photo to the media of their sons face as he lay in the funeral home. No further information was readily provided by law enforcement. [17], Johnson's family requested that his body be exhumed for a second time and was granted permission by Valdosta city officials. The origin and credibility of the recording . Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. [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. The family, together with the NAACP and other civil rights activists, then held a rally at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Required fields are marked *. Death of Kendrick Johnson - Wikipedia 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. Why The Accidental Death Of Kendrick Johnson Remains Suspicious To This Day. It is a case that has stumped and enraged millions of people around the world. appreciated. For a brilliantly done docuseries on Kendrick Johnson, watch Ashes to Ashs vlogcast! [26] Jim Elliott, the Lowndes County Attorney, stated that the allegations were "unfounded" and "baseless" and that any response would be made in court. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. According to Paulk, it was Kendrick Johnson's mother, Jackie Johnson, who obtained the recording and turned it in to investigators. The three teens were classmates. Your email address will not be published. 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. After this sad look at the case and death of Kendrick Johnson, read up on another mysterious disappearance, that of Elisa Lam. Kendrick Johnson: A second local investigation into the death of - CNN ", Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. 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. 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. Parents' lawsuit in Georgia gym mat death is dismissed. The next day, a teacher found his body inside one of the rolled-up wrestling mats. Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body inside an upright mat. R.I.P Kendrick Johnson FacebookOne of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. 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. Lowndes County is in southern Georgia. in Georgiais now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. "If it's a hoax, it's a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson," he said. The three teens were classmates. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. [28] Shortly after receiving the case, Dettlebach also resigned. We already knew what team you were on. 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.