[28] Shortly after receiving the case, Dettlebach also resigned. 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. ", Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. Kendrick Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up gym mat in January. We have buried kj 3 times and it felt like 3 funerals and i lost him 3 times.. Just after 24 hours of being found, the investigators ruled Johnsons death an accident. For the sake of his family, I hope that the case of Kendrick Johnson can be closed in a way that provides closure. The Johnsons were also sure that their sons body had been moved, which was corroborated by Lowndes County Coroner, Bill Watson. Pure evil. [14] The governor's office released a statement indicating that they would await the report of the U.S. This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 04:38. Although no charges were ever brought to light, and his death was ruled accidental.. Listen Now Episode Info 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. Kendrick Johnsons parents released a photo to the media of their sons face as he lay in the funeral home. 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. You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Attorneys for the Johnson family expressed fears that the camera footage was edited as part of a cover-up. The lawsuit further alleged that another student, Brian Bell, "had a history of provoking and attacking" Johnson at school, stating that the provocations took place "in the presence of the coaching staff and employees" after his mother complained about previous attacks. Investigators will now comb through 17 boxes of evidence, which were previously sealed. While the lawsuit did not name the person or persons allegedly involved in the January 10 event, nor identify the race of alleged perpetrators, it implied a race-based dimension to the hypothetical assault. The YSL Case Is Stretching Fulton County's Justice System to Its Breaking Point. 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. The teens parents say they are not convinced. Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson's body inside an upright mat. Johnsons mother told Channel 2s Tony Thomas that shes not surprised by the findings. 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. 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. [25], In January 2015, Johnson's family filed a $100 million civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of DeKalb County against 38 individuals. the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Furthermore, a second autopsy showed non-accidental blunt force trauma to the back of the neck. 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. All Rights Reserved. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. Paulk said it could take up to two weeks before results come back. But it doesnt look like thats ever going to happen.. 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. Looking for interesting and mysterious true crime documentaries? When the judge in that case delayed a decision, pending the outcome of the U.S. Attorney's review, the family demanded that the governor of Georgia immediately authorize the inquiry instead. The case was closed almost half a decade ago due to insufficient evidence of foul play, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I just keep waiting for someone to be honest with [the Johnsons], Karen Bell, the mother of Brian and Branden Bell, said. He was found dead in a rolled up wresting mat. You're in for a treat! Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. 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. Authorities were tight-lipped about whether the Bell brothers were suspects in Kendrick Johnsons death. Its an active case so the contents of the recording or anything else, were not going to divulge right now, Paulk said. 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. Lowndes County Sheriff's findings on death of Kendrick Johnson by Jennifer Smith on Scribd. 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. Jackie Johnson told Thomas moments after the sheriff released his findings that shell continue to ask the Department of Justice to reopen its investigation. "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, WAGA-TV. We have a good picture of him and a pretty good description. 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. 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. S3 Ep 26 "Results" The Kendrick Johnson Investigation - Investigative True Crime Series In this episode Ash and her team head to North Carolina. Kendrick was found dead in a gym mat in 2013. 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. 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.. A coach found out he was dead. [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. Eventually, after a November 2020 visit by the Johnson family with federal investigators, that request was granted and the Justice Department turned over its investigative material to the sheriffs office. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. The article used as a source an anonymous email to the sheriff's office. Why The Accidental Death Of Kendrick Johnson Remains Suspicious To This Day. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. The US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio declined to comment. LeBron James is still in the closet, but he will join Green and Perkins as an "America First" hoopster when Bronny James is toiling in a faraway foreign league.MAGA NBA players are annoyed that foreigners are taking over a . Kendrick Johnsons shoe laying in the pool of blood. Wrongful death, Kendrick Johnson's family vs. Lowndes County Board of Education and school officials. You want to go on the top of a mountain and scream, Look, people, the evidence is there, Karen Bell added. 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. "[34] On August 10, 2017, Georgia Judge Richard Porter ruled that Johnson's family and their attorney had to pay more than $292,000 in legal fees to the dozens of respondents in their civil suit, writing "testimony shows that they had no evidence to support their claims that the [brothers] killed Johnson or that any of the other defendants engaged in a conspiracy to conceal the cause or manner of Johnson's death. 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. 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. Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. The mat was vertical. Since 17 year old Kendrick Johnson was found dead, in a rolled up gym mat, the question has remained; was this a tragic accident, or a well orchestrated and quickly hidden murder. "[11], Lt. Stryde Jones, who headed up the investigation for the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, stated: "We never had credible information that indicated this was anything other than an accident. 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. Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson said. 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. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Kendrick Johnson with his mother and father, Kenneth and Jackie Johnson. You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? The family, together with the NAACP and other civil rights activists, then held a rally at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Your email address will not be published. Theres still a lot of questions people want answered," Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said. The pathologist concluded his death was not an accident. 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. 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. Johnson, 17, was found dead in Lowndes High School's gymnasium in January 2013. One of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. He was never shown within or leaving the gym and indeed, he never did show up for his following classes. The sheriff said he spent 15 months reading every page in that file, but found that they did not show any criminal action whatsoever.. The recording hasnt yet been made public. Draymond Green and Kendrick Perkins don't know it, but they are the first "openly MAGA" basketball players. The next day, a teacher found his body inside one of the rolled-up wrestling mats. Kendrick Johnson lived with his family in Valdosta, Georgia and attended Lowndes High School. Kendrick Johnson (Part 1) Crime Weekly. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. [23] It alleged that Johnson was attacked on a bus trip 14 months prior to his death. 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. Kendrick died as a result of blunt force trauma to his person. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. Kendrick Johnson was a Georgia teen, who was found dead inside a rolled up wrestling mat. Share. In 2013, Johnsons body was found rolled up in a mat inside a Valdosta-area high school gymnasium. Kendrick Johnsons parents hoped that with the results of this third autopsy, the surveillance footage which they were convinced had been tampered with, and the mishandling of evidence at the scene, would be enough to reopen their sons case. The cameras which faced the mats were unfocussed and skipped around. [26] All local Superior Court judges recused themselves from presiding over the case, preventing the lawsuit from being filed and heard in Lowndes County, citing their close proximity to the accused. It is a case that has stumped and enraged millions of people around the world. 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. Paulk called the teenagers death a weird accident, telling CNN, there is nothing to substantiate a homicide.. The individual in question could face extortion charges if the recording is phony,Paulk said. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. We know that.. 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. NY Daily News/Valdosta/Lowndes Regional Crime Labratory via CNNKendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. The video was streamed by Morant to his Instagram page, and it was not archived once he stopped the stream. Kendrick Johnson's family and several friends gathered and held a balloon . A private pathologist was hired to carry out a second autopsy. 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. The parents asserted that the sons of the FBI agent killed Johnson and used their connections to cover up the investigation. 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 mat was vertical. "It has been our position that Kendrick was struck with an object that caused severe hemorrhaging, Coleman also told WAGA-TV. The dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, told the TV station she is not surprised by the sheriffs findings. When rolled up, the mat left a 14-inch hole in diameter in the center. Thats the craziest lie you could have told, Johnson said of Paulks probe. As far as the feds were concerned, the case was officially and finally closed. 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. [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. The photo, in which Kendrick Johnsons face is extremely swollen, almost does not look human. Coleman called for the individuals immediate arrest. 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. [12][16] Johnson's family filed a complaint with a regulatory body against the funeral home operator. On May 8, 2013, a judge granted Kendrick Johnsons body be exhumed. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. The emotions are reflective of one someone who has a burden like hell on their shoulders.. The Johnson family spoke Thursday in front of the sheriffs department, criticizing the report released Wednesday. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. I am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play, he wrote. [40], "Kendrick Johnson" redirects here. 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. We know that.. Then, read about the horrifying murder of Emmett Till. "Theres still a lot of questions people want answered.". These issues dont mean that someone will kill someone else, however. The sheriff described the re-examination into Kendrick Johnsons death as afinal effort to bring some closure to the teens family. Itll be a lot of work, he explained. The body of 17-year-old Johnson was found upside down in a mat in Lowndes County High School in January 2013. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. Policeand eventually the state's Parents' lawsuit in Georgia gym mat death is dismissed. 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. [39] In January 2022, the second investigation was closed with no charges filed. State medical examiners concluded that. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Video shows him walking into the Lowndes High gym on Jan. 10, 2013. And potentially missing videotape? In it, Paulk wrote, I am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play. They were ultimately ordered by a judge to pay close to $300,000 worth of lawyers fees to those they had accused with no evidence. [11] Some of the apparent lapses in coverage were found to result from camera systems that were not synchronized with one another. As parents, our hearts are broken, but we are determined to prevent a tragedy of this magnitude from occurring again., In March of last year, the family received an audio clip from a tipster who was paid for the information; in part, the voice said, I was just young and stupid. [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. August 17, 2021. 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. From there until now, we feel like this has been a cover-up at a very high level. For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. It alleged that the defendants ignored reports that, previously, Johnson had been repeatedly attacked and harassed by a white student. 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. [26] Jim Elliott, the Lowndes County Attorney, stated that the allegations were "unfounded" and "baseless" and that any response would be made in court. Its been eight long years, said Kendrick Johnsons mother, Jacquelyn. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much News of the re-opened investigation was welcomed by Johnson's family. However, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced the re-opening of the case on Tuesday. Ebony.com described the murder of Johnson to have been at the hands of two white brothers, though they did not include names. The origin and credibility of the recording . You do not believe there was anything criminal? reporter Tony Thomas asked Paulk. The next investigation was a federal one. You do not believe there was anything criminal? Thomas asked Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. Johnsons parents finally believed that their sons death was not being taken seriously because of his race. Paulk noted that Branden Bell left campus an hour before Johnson vanished. Johnsons parents have said they think their son was killed. [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. Valdosta, Georgia CNN For the local sheriff's department, the death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson is a closed book: A tragedy, but an accident. Law enforcement has ruled Kendrick's death an . [31] They were subsequently sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees[32] and $1,000,000 in defamation damages. 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. Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. Johnsons shoulders measured 19 across and he was five feet, ten inches tall. I will fight as long as I have to, to uncover what happened to Kendrick Johnson.. Absolutely, they were extorted.. This will be the final [investigation], as far as Im concerned, he said. Despite these resignations, the Department of Justice investigation continued. 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. Paulk also claimed a camera in the gymnasium which apparently shows Johnson before his death was realigned 13 months earlier. Justice denied. "[23], In August 2014, a $5 million lawsuit against Ebony magazine was filed, after the magazine published a series of articles naming two students as possible suspects in Johnson's 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 . The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Georgia was recused from the investigation many years ago.. "This week we are trying Kendrick Johnson as the shooter, the organizer and the planner of Delindsey Mack's murder," she told . I wont deem it credible until I can look at the source, find out where [he] got it from.. Seventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. The familys attorney, Chevene King, expressed thatif Kendrick had been white, the case would have been handled differently. 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. Nonetheless, the investigation cleared the funeral home of any wrongdoing. Adding to the confusion is the fact that in October 2013, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation told CBS thatJohnsons organs were returned to his body following the autopsy, as per protocol. They also reported that the blood had likely been there for a long time. 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. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants were negligent and violated Johnson's constitutional right to equal protection based on race. [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. But those dreams were cut short when his body was found by students entering the gymnasium rolled up in a standing gym mat. The body was discovered by fellow students who had climbed up to the top of a cluster of mats, each of which stood nearly 6 feet (1.8m) tall and 3 feet (0.91m) wide. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. [17] A spokesperson for the Secretary of State said that the investigation found that the funeral home "didn't violate any rules. 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. County authorities are currently combing through a trove of boxes of evidence, including computer hard drives, documents, and other files relevant to the investigation. Investigation into death of Georgia teen found in a rolled-up gym mat 8 years ago will be reopened. [2][13], After the opinion of the private pathologist was released, Johnson's family stated that they believed Johnson had been murdered. 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.