A second autopsy, done at the family's request, determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the right side of Johnson's neck and the "manner of death was not an accident," according to federal investigators. In all the evidence weve seen, there is nothing to show that anybody murdered Kendrick Johnson right now. January 10, 2013, 17 year old Kendrick Johnson was found dead, rolled up in a wrestling mat in his high school gym. Questions over Kendrick's death began on Jan. 11, 2013, the moment he was found inside a rolled-up wrestling mat, which was standing upright in a corner of the gym. What happened to Ryan after he gave his statement?Can the Ashes to Ash team discover what really happened to Kendrick on January 10th, 2013? Coleman said he and Johnson's parents eventually met with the then-U.S. attorney in Cleveland in November, and asked to have the case reopened. (According to a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Kendricks family, the two students being investigated were sons of a former F.B.I. WebAlleged gang member, 21-year-old Kendrick Johnson, was sentenced to life in prison and a $10,00 fine on Monday after being convicted of murder in the 2018 shooting death of This is a very unusual accident. Even after the federal investigation, questions about Kendricks death persisted in Valdosta. Investigators saidJohnson died in a freak accident, becoming stuck upside down and unable to breathe after he felltrying to retrieve a shoe that was inside the upright mat. 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. The sheriff said evidence shows Johnson climbed into one of these rolled-up wrestling mats to retrieve some shoes, got stuck and died. The next day, a teacher found his body inside one of the rolled-up wrestling mats. Mr. Johnson said Kendricks family remained committed to proving that Kendrick had been murdered. Last month, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk released a 16-page document concluding that Kendrick Johnson's death was an accident and no charges would be filed. This is how you roll in Valdosta, Jackie Johnson said. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office closed the case, but Johnson's family still suspected foul play. So what really happened to KJ?. Demonstrators held a rally in front of the Georgia State Capitol in 2013 and demanded more information about Kendrick Johnsons death. The 17-year-old disappeared one afternoon and was found the next morning with his head facing down inside an upright rolled-up gym mat and his feet sticking out of the top. IE 11 is not supported. Eight years after Kendrick Johnson, 17, was found upside-down in a large mat in his high school gym, the Lowndes County sheriff decided to reopen the case. Coleman said he initially sought the release of 2015 grand jury proceedings, after Kentucky's attorney general did so in Breonna Taylor's case. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Paulk said he would offer up his own money if someone comes forwardbut that, as of right now, they have not had a viable person come forward yet. To this day, no one knows where KJs organs have gone. He reiterated he is not accusing anyone of wrongdoing, but wants to examine all the evidence together to make sure nothing was missed. For years, the case has confounded residents in Valdosta, Ga., a city of about 56,000 in southern Georgia. The Johnsons point out several things they disagree with in the sheriffs 16-page summary, including results from a third autopsy report and the reports conclusion that the students the family suspects were involved in Kendricks death never had contact with their son the day he died. Jackie Johnson told Thomas moments after the sheriff released his findings that shell continue to ask the Department of Justice to reopen its investigation. "And the uprising as I like to call it this summer just gave me the energy to pursue reopening this case.". Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. Lowndes County sheriff's investigators concluded that he died in a freak accident, falling headfirst into an WebHis death has been ruled accidental and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation officially closed its investigation in June of 2020 but the family has long believed Johnson was murdered. WebFamily: New audio confession in Kendrick Johnson case handed to investigators 185,990 views Mar 19, 2021 3.8K Dislike Share 11Alive 851K subscribers The tape reportedly Sheriff Paulk said he had examined 17 boxes of evidence provided by prosecutors and investigators, including grand jury testimony. 6 on Clayton County sheriffs top 10 most wanted list arrested while picking kids up, Prosecutors: Officer accused of killing 16-year-old used badge to steal nude photos from women, Large amounts of drugs, weapons, other contraband seized by Ga. correctional officers, Over 130 vehicles broken into, several guns stolen at Henry County apartment complexes. Paulk noted that he was born and raised in Valdosta, and has known the Johnson family for decades, but emphasized that his office is "not starting out with it's a murder it's an accident. It inspired a 2021 documentary questioning the findings of law enforcement officials and prompted calls for murder charges by Kendricks relatives, who believe he was killed by two white students at Lowndes High School. All Rights Reserved. WebEight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body inside an upright mat. Mills. Paulk reopened the case last year after the teenager's parents helped him obtain 17 boxes of evidence from the U.S. Department of Justice's case file on the boy's death. Police reopened the investigation into Johnsons death earlier this month, five years after the Department of Justice formally closed the original case after being unable to find enough evidence that someone or some group of people willfully violated Kendrick Johnsons civil rights or committed any other prosecutable federal crime.. Coleman said he and Johnson's family felt the number of boxes was symbolic, as it matches the years of Johnson's short life. The truth, what happened to Kendrick, there is no stopping it.. Kendrick Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up gym mat in January. (Russ Bynum/AP). Johnson was found dead on Jan. 11, 2013 inside of a tightly rolled gym mat by classmates atLowndes High School in Valdosta,Georgia. He said they believe many of the answers to their questions such as about the state of his body when it was discovered are contained in those 17 boxes. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. Kendrick Johnsons death has been the continued focus of headlines and theories nationwide. After a 16-page synopsis concludedthat Johnsons death was an accident last month, Johnsons family still maintains that he was murdered. 2023 Cox Media Group. The files that Paulk released last month in his final report included in material from the Justice Department, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. attorneys office for Middle Georgiaand several other law enforcement agencies. Plus, I wanted to know myself.. Now, his mom, Jackie, believes she has the confession tape and has turned it over to police. Last month the sheriff's office received what Paulk described as 17 "filing cabinet boxes" of evidence including documents and hard drives. Johnson's body was found in a wrestling mat Jan. 11, 2013, in the high school's gym in Valdosta, Georgia. They did so through Marcus Coleman, a community activist who has served as their family spokesperson for the last eight years. EXCLUSIVE: Was the death of African-American teenager Kendrick Johnson, whose body was found inside a rolled-up wrestling mat in a Valdosta, Georgia high school, a tragic accident or a case of murder? Veteran Aviator and Student Pilot He Helped Land After She Lost Her Nose Gear Take to the Skies Together, Oklahoma Man Charged After Allegedly Covering Up the Murder of the Woman His Wife Was Having an Affair With, Texas Man Continued His Date After Cops Say He Fatally Shot Someone Over $40, Autistic Artist Sebastian Franco Hopes to See Northern Lights as He Contemplates Going Completely Blind, Lori Vallow Daybell's Sister: 'You Expect Me to Just Keep Believing Without Ever Having a Question?'. They wont publicly say what that new info is. You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? In his report, Sheriff Paulk said he knew there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play., He added in the report, I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion., Death of Georgia Teen Found in Gym Mat Was Weird Accident, Sheriff Says, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/27/us/kendrick-johnson-georgia-investigation.html. Mr. Johnson, 53, said that a forensic pathologist hired by the family, William R. Anderson, had found that the cause of death was blunt-force trauma to the right side of the boys neck, near the jaw. Family hopes new audio clip could lead to Kendrick Johnsons killer The truth is the truth, Paulk said. Russ Bynum/AP Michael J. Moore, the former U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Georgia who agreed to review the case in 2013, said on Thursday that there was never pressure to find results one way or the other., The only instruction that we got was to look at the evidence and follow where it leads you, he said. After the release of my synopsis of the Federal files on the Kendrick Johnson case, his parents have called me a liar and continue to state that Kendrick was murdered," Paulk said in a news release Monday. WebGeorgia police revealed on Wednesday that a purported confession tape connected to the case of a Kendrick Johnson is fake. Kendrick Johnsons murder was first considered an unfortunate incident by law. There was 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, prosecutors said in statement announcing that the Justice Department was closing its case. Paulk said that he and two detectives pored over about 17 boxes of files for a year before releasing the report. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. The evidence does not produce anything to prove any criminal act by anyone that would have resulted in the death of Kendrick Johnson, Sheriff Paulks report said. "I'm not accusing anybody of anything, but I want to start fresh with it and look at it all the way through," Paulk told Atlanta NBC affiliate WXIA on Monday. " The findings of Mr. Andersons autopsy, conducted five months after Kendricks death, contradicted the conclusions of the medical examiner at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, who in 2013 issued an autopsy report that determined the cause of death was positional asphyxia, suggesting that Kendrick had become trapped upside-down in the rolled-up mat and had suffocated. Its going to come out, no matter how many layers they put on Kendrick, its going to come out, mother Jaqueline Johnson said. A teacher and students found his body the next morning. He said the process appeared to be underway, albeit slowed by the holiday season and the pandemic. WebKendrick was found dead in the gymnasium at 10:30 a.m. on January 11, roughly 10 hours after his family reported him missing. A Georgia sheriff's office is reopening an investigation into the 2013 death of Kendrick Johnson, a Black teenager whose body was found inside a rolled-up gym mat in his high school gymnasium. If its a hoax, its a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson, he told Fox 5. Parents say they are getting new evidence to prove Kendrick Johnson was killed, claim cover-up A sheriff's investigation determined there was no foul play in Kendrick Johnson's death in 20 13, but his parents believe there's a cover-up. WebKendrick Johnson, 17, was found dead and rolled up inside a high school gym mat back in 2013. It took 14 months to go through it, Paulk said. In 2016, Sheriff Paulk, who had retired the year before Kendrick died, decided to run again for his old seat. A Georgia sheriff who recently closed the case ofKendrick Johnson, the 17-year-old who was found dead and rolled up in a gym mat in 2013, is offering $500,000 for any information that leads to an arrest or conviction in the case. Federal prosecutors began reviewing the case in 2013 after the family requested a separate investigation. Any time you have the inexplicable death of a young man and there are conflicting reports out there, it is the job of law enforcement to look into those things.. Johnson's family said they believe the teen was murdered and that his death was covered-up. WebThe body of Kendrick Johnson, 17, was found upside-down in a large mat in his high school gym in 2013. WebKendrick Johnson's body was found upside down in a rolled-up wrestling mat at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Ga., on Jan. 11, 2013. Looking to hire a writer? He plans to re-interview some individuals and talk to new people, and has already conducted one interview this week, Paulk told WXIA. Questions, investigations and lawsuits have abounded in the years since Johnson's body was discovered at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Ga., in January 2013. Original Score by Dan Edinberg. WebSheriff reopens investigation into death of Kendrick Johnson, found dead inside gym mat; Family of Kendrick Johnson continues to seek answers to questions that surround his He owns several businesses outside of his job as a sheriff, he said. In October 2013, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia announced a federal criminal civil rights investigation into Johnson's death. The report said his body was head-down in a rolled-up mat that was positioned vertically. The sheriff says case closed again but he will reopen it if someone brings him verified new information. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. A sheriff's investigation determined there was no foul play in Kendrick Johnson's death in 20 13, but his parents believe there's a cover-up. Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk, who was retired at the time of Johnson's death, confirmed to NPR that his office officially reopened the investigation on Friday. 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. On January 11, 2013, the corpse of a teen, Kendrick Johnson was being discovered upside-down and folded up in a school gym mat under the most bizarre of conditions. The federal investigation focused on the two students and another person, according to Sheriff Paulks report. A spokesman in the Ohio office declined to comment. His initial request was denied, but the Johnson family continued their pursuit. Investigators said he died of positional asphyxia, but his parents have continually said he was murdered. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. We're starting out with this is a case we have to look at.". EXCLUSIVE: Was the death of African-American teenager Kendrick Johnson, whose body was found inside a rolled-up wrestling mat in a Valdosta, Georgia high school, a tragic accident or a case of murder? You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? The truth is the truth, Mr. Johnson said. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk recently announced there would be no charges in the case of Kendrick Johnson, 17, who was found in 2013 in a rolled-up gym mat. I think the community deserves it.". They also included federal grand jury testimony from 58 people, as well as additional autopsies by a doctor hired by the Johnson family and the Defense Department. 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. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Assembling the case records for a new investigation. HOUSTON Kendrick Johnson was found guilty by a jury for the murder of a Lamar High School student in 2018. WebFor years, rumors and controversy has swirled around the death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, a Georgia teen who was found dead inside a rolled-up gymnasium mat in 2013. State and local law enforcement officials ruled the death an accidental asphyxiation, saying Johnson died after he climbed into the mat to retrieve his sneakers. We already knew what team you were on. Kendrick Johnson's body was found upside down in a rolled-up wrestling mat at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, on Jan. 11, 2013. A storyteller and professional SEO writer. Ive looked at everything I can look at. Footage from cameras at the high school showed that Kendrick did not cross paths with either of the two other people in the federal investigation at any point on Jan. 10, 2013, the day he died, the report said. Sheriff Paulk said the conflicting autopsy reports were complicated by a third autopsy conducted by the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner in 2014. The county sheriff said the death, initially ruled an accident, should If theres something else that somebody knows and doesnt feel like we looked at or studied, come sit down with us," the sheriff said. But still an accident? Thomas asked Paulk. His family says despite the setback, they are not giving up hope. [PHOTOS: Images included in Kendrick Johnson death findings report]. Channel 2s Tony Thomas was in Valdosta Thursday as Johnsons parents called the sheriff a liar and part of a much bigger cover-up. The new documentary Finding Kendrick Johnson hopes to shed light on one of the most important American stories of our time. Writer-director-producer Jason Pollock (Stranger Fruit) spent four years on the film, and as part of his efforts interviewed Mitch Credle, a homicide detective who worked the case. Investigators could not confirm the liquid and did not collect any as evidence. "When the news came down, I can say that, in one breath, they're grateful, they're thankful for the reopening," Coleman said. Investigators ruled his death an He described their investigation as a witch hunt and said email correspondence between prosecutors showed they had been feeling pressure to get results. Kendrick was in school, one of the safest places your child can be in and my son lost his life but for what, said Johnson. The objective is to promote history on Medium and demonstrate the value of historical writing. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. A sheriffs investigation determined there was no foul play in Kendrick Johnsons death in 2013, but his parents believe theres a cover-up. 2023 Cox Media Group. I will fight as long as I have to uncover what exactly happened to Kendrick Johnson, Kenneth Johnson said. A family spokesperson told NPR they are "cautiously optimistic" after the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office reopened its investigation last week. Ryan Anthony comes forward with some information regarding what may have happened to Kendrick Johnson. As you look down the road here, do you guys have other options? [Investigation reopened into Georgia teenager found dead inside gym mat], Kendrick Johnson's parents, Kenneth and Jackie, have pushed for more investigation into their son's death. On Wednesday, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk released his findings in a months-long second look into a previous FBI investigation. WebKendrick Johnson, who prosecutors call one of Houston's most dangerous gang members, has been found guilty in the 2018 murder of Delindsey Mack. Johnson, a three-sport athlete, was found dead on Jan. 11 in a rolled-up wrestling mat in his high school gym. You do not believe there was anything criminal? Thomas asked Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. 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. Thats the craziest lie you could have told. Anyone can read what you share. Police said they have no current plans to release the audio tape or a transcript. Paulk said his office is currently working to verify the recording and follow the chain of custody to determine its legitimacy. That journey took him first to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia, which he learned had recused itself from the case, then to that of the Northern District of Ohio, where it had been transferred. Reach out at ramzywritersofficial@gmail.com. All Rights Reserved. Kendricks father, Kenneth Johnson, said he still believed that someone had killed his son, a popular athlete at Lowndes High and the youngest of five siblings. Authorities say he suffocated trying to retrieve a sneaker "I think this young man met with foul play," former FBI agent says. You are not on the team of righteousness, the mother toldWSB-TV. Paulk told Inside Edition Digital that those case files had been what he had been waiting on and he combed through boxes with two other people whohad previously worked on the case. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Sheriff Paulk said on Thursday that there was no evidence to show that anyone else was responsible for Kendricks death. Investigators claim that in the findings of the initial autopsy, Johnson's cause of They had a recording that they actually purchased from someone who said that it would be valuable as far as saying who possibly had committed the crime and change their situation, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told Fox 5. "I dont really feel like theres anybody out there with knowledge and from what Ive seen I studied all the camera angles and everything else it was a tragic accident. His feet were visible from the top of the mat, the report said. In 2016, federal prosecutors said that to bring a case to trial, they would have to show two things: that Kendrick had been killed, and that the killing had been motivated by racial animus.. Investigation reopened into Georgia teenager found dead inside gym mat, Cold case slay solved 30 years after 15-year-old NYC girl found strangled with her own bra : Mothers worst nightmare (EXCLUSIVE), Aerosmith announces farewell tour with multiple New York concerts, Education panel to vote on controversial proposal to move NYCs Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Crime scene photos previously obtained by the Daily News showed a sneaker and a sweatshirt stained with what seemed like blood, just feet from Johnsons body at the gym. Paulk said the process will take at least six months, as there is a lot of material to parse. It is one of those cases that provides more questions than it does answers. Paulk, who served as sheriff for 16 years before retiring in 2012 and returning to win reelection in 2016, told NPR the Johnson case has been "very divisive for a long time," with questions still swirling in the community. It did so after receiving documents it had long requested from a Justice Department investigation that closed in 2016. People still have doubts and the Johnsons still have doubts, and they publicly called me a liar. Paulk had been trying to obtain those federal investigation documents since April 2019. "If we find a contradiction we're going to resolve any contradiction, or try to. And I mean it's just rightfully so considering all of the letdowns that they've had over the years.". "This will be the first time anybody's had everybody's evidence in one place, so I'm planning to go through every bit of it," Paulk said. WebMr. The Johnsons have a GoFundMe account open to hire a private investigator to look into what they say is new evidence. Officials interviewed nearly 100 people, scoured tens of thousands of emails and texts, reviewed surveillance videos from the high school and consulted with independent medical examiners. Johnson was found dead on Jan. 11, 2013 inside of a tightly rolled gym mat by classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia. We will keep pushing forward, he said. We got many options. It will be released in theaters nationwide later in the summer through Gravitas Ventures. The sheriff said Tuesday that while tragic, Johnson's death was just a "weird accident." 17-year-student who was found dead in 2013 in a rolled-up gym mat, concluding that Kendrick Johnson's death was an accident and no charges would be filed, Feds to investigate mysterious teen gym mat death. The teenager, Kendrick Johnson, 17, most likely crawled headfirst into the mat to retrieve a pair of sneakers that he had thrown inside earlier and became trapped, Sheriff Ashley Paulk of Lowndes County said. If you know of illegal activity involving this or any case, please reach out to your local law enforcement. Sheriff says case closed after his investigation finds Kendrick Johnsons death was no crime. "Im willing to put up those funds to see if anybody comes forward with anything viable that might have been missed," Paulk told NBC News on Tuesday. Paulk said he has not received any viable tips since announcing the reward. "But in that same breath, 'cautiously optimistic' probably would be the most accurate label. Johnsons parents say students at the time of Kendricks death have started coming forward, providing new information they hope to use to reignite yet another official investigation. Johnsons parents thoughts were written on their shirts they were wearing Thursday: Kendrick Johnson didnt roll himself up into no mat. One of the students investigated by prosecutors was on a bus headed to a wrestling match at the same time that Kendrick went into the gym, according to his report. That critical question has defied an easy answer since 2013, despite multiple investigations, autopsies and lawsuits. Mom Jaqueline Johnson said last Wednesday that she wants federal investigators to take a second look at what happened to her son. VALDOSTA, Ga. The parents of a South Georgia teen found dead inside a high school gym say they are finding new evidence in the case. That report also ruled the death accidental and caused by asphyxiation but was later amended to say the cause of death was undetermined.. 6 on Clayton County sheriffs top 10 most wanted list arrested while picking kids up, Prosecutors: Officer accused of killing 16-year-old used badge to steal nude photos from women, Large amounts of drugs, weapons, other contraband seized by Ga. correctional officers, Over 130 vehicles broken into, several guns stolen at Henry County apartment complexes. WebKendrick Johnson's body was found upside down in a rolled-up wrestling mat at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, on Jan. 11, 2013. 2nd Investigation Rules Death of Teen Kendrick Johnson Was a Freak Accident, Case of Kendrick Johnson, Georgia Teen Found Dead in Rolled-Up Gym Mat, Is Reopened by Sheriff's Office, Man Who Killed Young Police Officer in 1981 Was Serial Killer Who Murdered 4 Other Women, Cops Say DNA Reveals, Suspect Arrested for Home Invasion Murder of Jacqueline Avant, Music Execs Wife. Its a weird accident, he said on Thursday, one day after he had released a 16-page report that detailed his findings and echoed the ruling made by a previous sheriff in 2013. You do not believe there was anything criminal? Thomas asked Paulk. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Kendrick Johnson, then 17, was found in January 2013 at Lowndes County High School, stuck upside down in an upright mat behind the bleachers.
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kendrick johnson killer found