The three teens were classmates. The dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, told the TV station she is not surprised by the sheriffs findings. The, death was ultimately ruled accidental and amedical examiner concluded the teen died from, nearly five years ago due to "insufficient evidence", Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told, . 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. In June 2018, Kendrick Johnsons body was exhumed for a second time and a third autopsy was performed. Required fields are marked *. We know that.. [11] Some of the apparent lapses in coverage were found to result from camera systems that were not synchronized with one another. Attorneys for the Johnson family expressed fears that the camera footage was edited as part of a cover-up. S3 Ep 26 "Results" The Kendrick Johnson Investigation - Investigative True Crime Series In this episode Ash and her team head to North Carolina. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. VALDOSTA, Ga. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. You are not on the team of righteousness, Jackie Johnson said. Kendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. Why The Accidental Death Of Kendrick Johnson Remains Suspicious To This Day. However,. 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. He was found dead in a rolled up wresting mat. I will fight as long as I have to, to uncover what happened to Kendrick Johnson.. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. Johnsons parents finally believed that their sons death was not being taken seriously because of his race. 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. Finding Kendrick Johnson is an interesting true crime documentary. 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. It does appear, however, that their quest for answers has only led to more questions. They do an excellent job digging in to places and topics that authorities seem to avoid, not just in this case but in the others theyve explored as well, like the case of Robert Bee that I wrote about here. [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. Looking for interesting and mysterious true crime documentaries? R.I.P Kendrick Johnson Facebook PageKendrick Johnsons casket was unearthed for a second time for a third autopsy. The case follows a young man that was found dead in 2013. "If it's a hoax, it's a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson," he said. We already knew what team you were on. As far as the feds were concerned, the case was officially and finally closed. Many speculate a darker reality. The parents asserted that the sons of the FBI agent killed Johnson and used their connections to cover up the investigation. We knew what the outcome would be from the very beginning, Kendricks father, Kenneth Johnson, told CNN. As he was upside down, blood would have rushed to Johnsons head and he eventually would have begun to bleed from his facial orifices. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. [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." 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. [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. I do not, he replied. ", Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. 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. 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. NY Daily News/Valdosta/Lowndes Regional Crime Labratory via CNN. Policeand eventually the states attorneysaid he went headfirst into the mat to get a sneaker at the bottom, and that he died from positional asphyxia when he couldnt get out. the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Just after 24 hours of being found, the investigators ruled Johnsons death an accident. Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told Oxygen.com. We have buried kj 3 times and it felt like 3 funerals and i lost him 3 times.. Johnson was the main "sniper" for the 103 gang, Seely said. Download theGrio today! But those dreams were cut short when his body was found by students entering the gymnasium rolled up in a standing gym mat. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! (@tomjones161 via twitter) The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is insisting. It includes photographs from the schools gymnasium. "[35][36], On March 10, 2021, the case was officially reopened. 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, Marcus Coleman, a spokesperson for the Johnson family, told Oxygen.com. 1 of 2. Johnsons shoulders measured 19 across and he was five feet, ten inches tall. In the latest report, Paulk dispelled rumors that Johnson and the Bell brothers had any contact on the day Johnson died. 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. Kendrick Johnsons parents released a photo to the media of their sons face as he lay in the funeral home. Upon releasing a 16-page synopsis report, sheriff Ashley Paulk told WCTV that he is 100 percent sure there was no foul play based on the federal case documents he reviewed and interviews police conducted with people involved in the initial investigation. Not a big deal, perhaps, except, Another student had an issue with Kendrick and had threatened him several times over a girlfriend. [2] That left a void, which the funeral home filled. A family spokesperson told NPR they are "cautiously. Ebony.com described the murder of Johnson to have been at the hands of two white brothers, though they did not include names. 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. Its been eight long years, said Kendrick Johnsons mother, Jacquelyn. Thing is, he wasn't just found dead. The funeral home said that it received the body without organs which it replaced with paper or sawdust as is common practice while embalming. 2023 Cox Media Group. Given the slender opening in the gym mat, this is certainly plausible, even though Kendrick was exceptionally physically fit. Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. "[18] The Johnson family subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against the funeral home, seeking monetary damages. Kendrick died as a result of blunt force trauma to his person. 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. Now, the sheriffs have enough evidence in hand to perhaps allow them to solve this mystery once and for all. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. 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. Seventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. 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. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. 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 Johnsons were extorted out of $1,000 for a tape that contains an individual admitting to their involvement, he alleged. 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. This finding further increased the confidence of doubters that this death was an accident. '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. His family and friends described him as a sweet and quiet boy. The next day, a teacher found his body inside one of the rolled-up wrestling mats. The individual in question could face extortion charges if the recording is phony,Paulk said. Investigators ruled it an accident but his family and other people nationwide believe he was murdered. Idk why but this case in particular seems to bring out the worst in a lot of true crime podcast hosts. Although no charges were ever brought to light, and his death was ruled accidental.. 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. 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. Over the years, the Johnsons have publicly implicated brothers Brian and Branden Bell in Kendricks death. 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. "[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. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. The Johnsons have a GoFundMe account open to hire a private investigator to look into what they say is new evidence. The emotions are reflective of one someone who has a burden like hell on their shoulders.. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. This is how you roll in Valdosta. She and her family maintain that young Kendrick was murdered. Indeed, in 2013, racism in Valdosta, Georgia, was still very much alive. Take a look at the list below for all the gory details! Kendrick Johnsons body inside an upright mat. We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch, she contended. I am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play, he wrote. Crime Junkie did the same thing. The public was horrified by the photo and began to rally around the Johnsons in their quest for the truth. [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 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. 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. "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, WAGA-TV. of foul play, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 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. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. The teens parents say they are not convinced. 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 Johnsons have filed several lawsuits since their son's death, winning none of them. I just keep waiting for someone to be honest with [the Johnsons], Karen Bell, the mother of Brian and Branden Bell, said. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. They were sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees and more than one million in defamation charges. Possible Audio Confession In Kendrick Johnson's Death Investigated. The mat in which Johnson was found was around six feet tall. His body was discovered by a teacher the next day rolled up inside the gym mat. He died on January 10 in the school's gym. Listen, Im a high school teacher. [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. 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. indicated signs of foul play in the teen's death, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The amended report stated his cause and manner of death were undetermined. Johnson's family has rejected officials' determination that Johnson's death was accidental and has accused brothers Brian and Branden Bell of murdering Johnson. [22], Johnson's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Lowndes County Board of Education, its superintendent and the principal of Lowndes High School. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office closed its initial investigation into Kendrick Johnson's death on May 2, 2013, nearly four months after the 17-year-old was found in the school gym in Valdosta. Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. Coleman called for the individuals immediate arrest. The Grizzlies played in Denver on Friday night and are scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Saturday . One of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. 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 released a 16-page summary of his investigation on Wednesday including pictures from the Lowndes County gym. According to Paulk, it was Kendrick Johnson's mother, Jackie Johnson, who obtained the recording and turned it in to investigators. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. 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 latest report addresses several controversial topics at the center of Johnsons death, including the teens autopsy, where his body was found, and cameras located at Lowndes High School. Justice denied. Kendrick Johnson lived with his family in Valdosta, Georgia and attended Lowndes High School. 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. The group is. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [2][13], After the opinion of the private pathologist was released, Johnson's family stated that they believed Johnson had been murdered. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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. 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. 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, . "Theres still a lot of questions people want answered.". [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. Attorneys in Atlanta describe widespread delays and disruptions to other cases as the prosecution of Young Thug . 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. [26] Jim Elliott, the Lowndes County Attorney, stated that the allegations were "unfounded" and "baseless" and that any response would be made in court. In 2013, the 17-year-olds body was found upside down inside a rolled-up gym mat at a Georgia high school; he'd suffocated to death. 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. Listen Now Episode Info Paulk estimated it might take six months to process everything. The new findings were the result of a second investigation by the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office following one by the FBI. Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Im going through everything myself, Paulk said. For years, however, the teenager's family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to . Kendrick Johnson was a Georgia teen, who was found dead inside a rolled up wrestling mat. Earlier in March, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced that officials were reopening the investigation and reevaluating the previously-sealed evidence. 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. 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. His family says despite the setback, they are not giving up hope. You cant do an investigation with the same investigators who covered it up. Investigators will now comb through 17 boxes of evidence, which were previously sealed. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. Johnson's family didn't accept the. 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. But, There are some strange pieces to this case. [25], In January 2015, Johnson's family filed a $100 million civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of DeKalb County against 38 individuals. 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. 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. 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. 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. Almost a full day had passed until Johnson had been discovered. [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. Speculation and outrageous theories always run wild and it takes away from the victims story. [24] The magazine used pseudonyms but was otherwise accurate in descriptions of the boys, including the fact that their father was an FBI agent. In November 2013, 290 hours of surveillance tape from 35 cameras that covered the gym area were released to CNN following a court request. Lowndes County Sheriff's findings on death of Kendrick Johnson by Jennifer Smith on Scribd. "[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. Kendrick Johnson's death made national news, not on the day his body was discovered, but in weeks . 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 . I do find it disturbing and unethical that this investigation seemed to turn into a witch hunt after the FBI told the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia that they had found nothing criminal, and they consequently were closing the case, Paulk wrote in the synopsis. 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. 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. Kendrick Johnson: Unsolved Crime or Tragic Accident. 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. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Kendrick Johnson with his mother and father, Kenneth and Jackie Johnson. Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson's body inside an upright mat. Kendrick Johnson's family and several friends gathered and held a balloon . 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. Authorities were tight-lipped about whether the Bell brothers were suspects in Kendrick Johnsons death. For the American professional basketball player, see, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, "Lowdes County Incident Report K. Johnson", "Gym mat death: Attorneys call for surveillance video", "Kendrick Johnson Lowndes County High School gym mat death: Lawyers ask for surveillance video", "Gym Mat Death Shocker: Body Stuffed With Newspaper", "Federal prosecutor will look into Kendrick Johnson case", "FBI agent, sons countersue parents of Ga. teen found dead in gym mat", "Defendants Seek Attorney Fees in Dismissed Kendrick Johnson Case", "Kendrick Johnson suit: Feds want to stop evidence collection", "Third autopsy claims foul play in Valdosta gym mat death case", "Kendrick Johnson's parents still searching for answers to their son's death", "Parents of Georgia teen found dead in gym mat rally for inquiry", "Kendrick Johnson investigation: Feds will not file charges", "Who Killed K.J.?! An autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined the cause of Johnsons death was accidental positional asphyxia. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! [39] In January 2022, the second investigation was closed with no charges filed. 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? They also reported that the blood had likely been there for a long time. The cameras which faced the mats were unfocussed and skipped around. He wrote that the FBI reviewed footage from 62 cameras on campus, and Johnson never crossed paths with the brothers. Lowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. We have a good picture of him and a pretty good description. [PHOTOS: Images included in Kendrick Johnson death findings report]. 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. 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. This is a very unusual accident. The familys attorney, Chevene King, expressed thatif Kendrick had been white, the case would have been handled differently. On June 22, 2018, Johnson's body was exhumed.[19]. It is a case that has stumped and enraged millions of people around the world. Pure evil. Parents' lawsuit in Georgia gym mat death is dismissed. 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? 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. Kendrick Johnson with his mother and father, Kenneth and Jackie Johnson (The Johnson Family).

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