Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. 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, . 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. 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. 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. [26] Jim Elliott, the Lowndes County Attorney, stated that the allegations were "unfounded" and "baseless" and that any response would be made in court. Listen Now Episode Info Kendrick Johnson: Latest Probe Finds 'No Coverup or - Crime Online Theres still a lot of questions people want answered," Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said. 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. In 2018, an independent autopsy indicated signs of foul play in the teen's death, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Kendrick Johnson's family and several friends gathered and held a balloon . Now, positional asphyxia is a legitimate cause of death. 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. 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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The sheriff released a 16-page summary of his investigation on Wednesday including pictures from the Lowndes County gym. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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. Kendrick Johnson was a 17-year-old student at Lowndes County High School. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. Earlier in March, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced that officials were reopening the investigation and reevaluating the previously-sealed evidence. The article used as a source an anonymous email to the sheriff's office. Attorneys in Atlanta describe widespread delays and disruptions to other cases as the prosecution of Young Thug . 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. 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. 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. TheLowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. The recording hasnt yet been made public. But it doesnt look like thats ever going to happen.. [5], 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. ", Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. 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. You're in for a treat! Though it was quickly ruled an accidental death, Kendrick's family thought something was wrong. 2023 Cable News Network. Kendrick Johnson was black and the Lowndes County Sheriff, Chris Prines, and his investigators were all white. True crime; doubtful solutions - The Boston Globe document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Authorities say they are working to verify an audio recording of someone admitting to Kendrick Johnson's death. Local law enforcement was quick to rule it an accident and move on but the family is sure this is a case of murder being covered up. Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson said. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. [40], "Kendrick Johnson" redirects here. 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. 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. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Georgia was recused from the investigation many years ago.. For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Attorney. 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.". Kendrick Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up gym mat in January. 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. Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told Oxygen.com. Did you encounter any technical issues? [2][13], After the opinion of the private pathologist was released, Johnson's family stated that they believed Johnson had been murdered. 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. [5] Crump's application to practice law in Georgia representing Johnson's parents was not ruled on, and he withdrew from representing the family and is no longer participating in the case. 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 sheriff described the re-examination into Kendrick Johnsons death as afinal effort to bring some closure to the teens family. 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. S3 Ep 26 "Results" The Kendrick Johnson Investigation - Investigative True Crime Series In this episode Ash and her team head to North Carolina. You are not on the team of righteousness, Jackie Johnson said. Sheriff says case closed after his investigation finds Kendrick Johnsons death was no crime 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 inconsistencies in official reports on the condition of Kendricks body and other discrepancies led the family and community to question the official cause of his 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. However, the coroner said these organs were not sent to the funeral home because they were too decomposed and were instead disposed of beforehand. We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch. [21] Other missing footage was the result of the camera's motion-activated function not being triggered. "Im treating it like its a brand new case," Paulk said, according to the newspaper. 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. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The Lowndes County Sheriff's. (@tomjones161 via twitter) The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is insisting. [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. The Johnsons were extorted out of $1,000 for a tape that contains an individual admitting to their involvement, he alleged. And potentially missing videotape? Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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 . 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. estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. According to Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk, If theres questions and theyre legitimate I need to know the answers myself. Local authorities investigation has found, once again, that Johnson may have reached into the mat to retrieve a shoe, got stuck, then suffocated. The only way Im going to know is to look at the evidence myself.. Lowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. No further information was readily provided by law enforcement. Kendrick was found dead in a gym mat in 2013. The case was closed almost half a decade ago due to insufficient evidence of foul play, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 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. We have a good picture of him and a pretty good description. 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. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 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. On October 31, 2013, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia announced that his office would open a formal review into Johnson's death.

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