Ellen Greenberg was murdered by way of 20 stab wounds, with 10 alone to the back of Ellens neck. The residence of 18-year-old Taylor Eakin, Brian Bell's girlfriend, was also searched, according to Paul Threlkeld, an attorney representing the Bell and Eakin families, and, according to the. url: 'over,a,million,people,are,calling,for,the,investigation,into,kendrick,johnsons,death,to,be,reopened', at 2. Off Duty Officer Bert Delong (employee of Nowhere), also did not have his body camera turned on when he went to go find the bouncer in the back parking lot of Nowhere; we have no idea what was said during that conversation. Taylor Eakin. She didn't suggest at all that Ben Crump had anything to do with any decision at Florida State. Furthermore, the projection is based on Bell's senior year in high school eight years ago. ,Kristina,Trnqvist,Johan,Rabaeus,Maria,Langhammer;, . 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. However, he is enrolled at a school and hopes to play this fall. ", "His death was at his own hands, and we're very sorry for what happened to him because him and Brian were best friends.". Myselfand my team of attorneys and investigators are calling on the FBI, The Attorney General of Michigan, The Governor of Michigan and the US Departmentof Justice to stand up, take charge, do a proper and thorough investigationandbring this case to Justiceonce and for all! Touchton, who is white, reviewed case files and conducted interviews with students and medical personnel and law enforcement to look for evidence of murder and a cover-up. He has been disciplined for stealing crab legs and crawfish from a local supermarket and shouting vulgarities in the student union. Publicly, at least, no evidence has surfaced that links the Bells to Johnsons death. He was just 17 years old. "The week he died was the week he was going to start weight training and get back into it," McPherson says. When Black people die, often it is ruled a suicide or an accident, and the victim is blamed for his or her own death. One day on a school bus during football season, both Kendrick Johnson and Brian Bell constantly argued with each other (WSB-TV, 2015). Johnson's family and their attorneys, however, contend both Bell brothers were on campus when Johnson was last seen alive. And I, Ms. Jay, demands that all of these monsters is required to do a lie detector test not only for the killers but also everyone who knew, which includes teachers, students, and family members!!!! Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. And my dads from Memphis anyway so I might come see u and did u like u did Kendrick.. targeting: { Rev. It states that Taylor Eakin, Brian Bell's girlfriend, confessed to sleeping with Kendrick Johnson. Demonstrators in front of the Georgia State Capitol during a "Who Killed K.J." The bouncer was not charged, proffering a self-defense argument. Article states Kendrick rolled himself. Gary Hilyer came there that morning with a weapon; with a gun. Entrepreneurs Summit Please enter valid email address to continue. env: 'prod', The case is built solely on suspicion, innuendo and rumor, not evidence," Threlkeld said in a statement. And then their chief counsel poured a bucket of cold water on us.". } victoria beckham wedding; celebrity wedding photographer Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. No charges have been filed in the case. Have you subscribed totheGrios podcastDear Culture? Voulez-vous changer quelque chose ? . His parents moved out of state and, because of the death threats, are under the protective custody of the FBI. It definitely raises an eyebrow because that is now home for Brian Bell, Marcus Coleman, a spokesman for Kendricks parents, said of the transfer of the case to Ohio. pos: 'right_rail_2', There are new developments in the case of Kendrick Johnson, a 17-year-old Black student found dead in a school gym in Lowndes County, Ga. in 2013. Then he was out. ..Murder is not petty. King Jr., an attorney in Albany, Ga., who filed the suit, said by phone that the Johnsons were not available to comment. The suit also alleges local officials tried to cover up the crime. A petition on Change.org that has been posting updates about the case shared the following on Tuesday: Hello hello hello, everyone!!! I couldnt escape it.. The killer's sentence was commuted to life in prison in March 2005 when the United . }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; Why would two bystanders lie about something like this? Randell Meyers only intention was to grab his belongings after Gary Hilyer let him know he could. But this is not one of them, and I'm not going to be bossed around by whites or blacks.". Brian Bells Instagram (Photo: Instagram). Johnsons parents said their son was murdered by Brian Bell, Brandon Bell and Hall at the behest of Rick Bell, who is an FBI agent. "You won't find a person of any reputation in this town who says that boy was murdered," he tells USA TODAY Sports. "It was looking out for the young man. However, they state utilizing familial DNA is not an option. Two key witnesses who saw the incident while they were waiting to get into the bar stated that it was an "MMA-style, knockout punch," that Christopher was "completely defenseless, and that nobody deserves to be treated that way." Law enforcement officials theorize that Johnson, 17, went into the upright mat to retrieve athletic shoes he'd put inside, got stuck and died of accidental asphyxiation. I'm desperate. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/a34347624/joann-romain-unsolved-mysteries-theories/ https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a34452069/joann-romain-theories-disppearance-death-unsolved-mysteries/. No charges have been filed in the 17-year-old Johnson's January 10, 2013 death, however a federal investigation initiated in October 2013 by U.S. Attorney Michael Moore is ongoing. Now more than ever, the Johnson family needs help in their ongoing fight for justice. County investigators ruled Johnsons death accidental, a case of positional asphyxia, claiming he got stuck while reaching for a shoe at the center of the gym mat. Rose says it is not easy for him to be aligned against an African-American family that is challenging white authorities in south Georgia. Deputy Constable Eakin pursued him and a scuffle ensued, at which time he was shot in the neck. Long before Rose came to that conclusion, his SCLC hired Touchton, who was president of the local NAACP four times, and gave her the title of investigator. Follow us on: His ORGANS were STOLEN too. What the hell is going on down there? said Geoffrey Hazard, a professor emeritus at Yale Law School and one of the countrys leading legal ethicists. I have this entire conversation on audio recording. PLEASE HELP US!! The suit alleges Bell, who is white, held a grudge against Johnson, who was black, after a fight on a team bus in 2011. It all started with a fight on a school bus, more than a year before Johnsons death. The countersuit alleges defamation and denies allegations the Bell brothers and their father were involved in Johnson's death in any way. Taylor Eakin. According to the Valdosta Daily Times, Rick Bell and his sons were issued target letters last year to appear before Moore's grand jury, but refused. The petition,created byJay Holden, notes how Johnsons popularity as a high school athlete made him a favorite with the ladies. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', Ladson said he was seeking a protective order related to the Bells and Eakins seized phones and computers because they contain privileged attorney-client communications related to the criminal case and civil suits. Bell was in. They are not looking for evidence of a murder. Family member Deriree Werth has fought for justice for her sister Mandi Alexander for over 20 years. ]); How could I be in two places at once?. U.S. The bouncer said that after he pushed Christopher out the door of the bar, it made Christopher drop his phone, and upon Christopher picking up his phone, it annoyed Christopher so much that the bouncer's perception is that Christopher swung at him first, yet he said Chistopher never made contact. Brian Bell, one of the agents sons named in the Johnson wrongful death lawsuit, posted his reactions to the federal on social media, as was reported in First Coast News: Rick Bells son, Brian, posted this to Instagram. See Photos. In January 2013, Taylor Eakin was a sophomore at LCHS and dated Brian Bell, who was also a sophomore and played football at LCHS. Bell's father Rick was a retired FBI officer who allegedly orchestrated the removal of Johnson's organs and had them replaced with newspaper to hide evidence and other injuries. Taylor Eakin, Brian Bells girlfriend, was 16 when she was called before a federal grand jury in April 2014. Brian Bell, one of the agent's sons named in the Johnson wrongful death lawsuit, posted his reactions to the federal on social media, as was reported in First Coast News: Rick Bell's son . https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/mysterious-death-joann-matouk-romain-part-1/ Latest on Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Keegan Akin including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN People named Taylor Eakin. The Commonwealth's Attorney's office's mission statement claims to promote public safety through the ethical, fair and just prosecution of criminal offenses and to ensure the rights of all persons are respected. Brian enrolled in a work-study program his senior year, spending only half a day on campus, where he became a pariah. Brian Bell has also stated that he killed Kendrick Johnson multiple times over the phone. July 23, 2015 / 12:59 PM rally in memory of their son, Kendrick Johnson, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, in Atlanta. Last month, federal authorities raided several college dorm rooms and homes, including those of Bell and his parents, as the probe took a turn into witness tampering and obstruction. Ptition adresse Fort Payne Police Department. I find it hard to believe that murdering a baby would have a statute of limitations. The autopsy report and a subsequent investigation conducted by the cold case investigator at the State Police confirm that he was responsible for Jacob's death. Gary Hilyer was not charged with anything. About The petition goes on to addressRyan Anthony Domek-Hernandez, who said Bell told him that he killed Kendrick Johnson by striking his neck with a 45-pound weight/dumbbell after they began arguing overTaylon Eakin, a girl Bell allegedly liked. But Benjamin Crump, former co-counsel for the Johnsons, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last year that Moore told the couple he was convinced Kendrick didnt die accidentally. Taylor Eakin lied and claimed to have starting dating three months after the murder in hopes of legitimizing the Bell's alibi. But Brians attorney, Jason Ferguson, said the FBI has told him it has cleared his client of any involvement. https://gangsterreport.com/the-pointes-of-contention-joann-matouk-romains-suspicious-death-was-most-likely-a-murder/ The feds seem to agree. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. However, Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Wine said in a phone conversation with us in May 2020 that Christopher's head did strike the ground. "Jimbo was upset about it," McPherson says. It would not be appropriate to intervene without an indictment.. The Johnsons hired William Anderson, former deputy chief of the Orange-Osceola Medical Examiner's Office in Florida, to conduct an independent autopsy. Contact Hi. "According to Brandon Bell, Brian Bell had told Ryan that if he did not keep quiet and help him move Kendrick Johnson's body, his father, who is Rick Bell,. The Change.org petitionis currently calling on the public to help with the Justice for Kendrick Johnson campaign. Eakin allegedly liked Johnson. Brian and Branden Bell, ages 18 and 20 respectively, have remained tight-lipped throughout the course of the investigation, but just last week, they spoke out publicly for the first time. Instagram: @JusticeforJoAnn In 1972, Pauley began her journalism career as a "temporary, probationary emp Please sign in hopes the Fort Payne Police Department will take swift action in getting this killer off the street! . Release of any evidence might compromise the federal investigation of Kendricks death, the government argued. Brandon Bell, who is both a student at Valdosta High School and the brother of Brian Bell, had. That upsets King, a Johnson family attorney, who says, "It is a mystery to me, his conduct.". The officers knew and worked with the owners for years. Help make Taylor Eakin & Brian Bell's special day even more memorable. What changed? You never know.. Lives in Lufkin, Texas. And his name remains sullied to this day, linked to the tragic death of Kendrick Johnson, 17, whose body was found in a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High in Valdosta in 2013. Maryanne Gaffney-Kraft, regional medical examiner for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said findings from the crime scene, investigator reports, forensic testing, witness statements, scene photographs and coroner's findings all pointed to accidental death. If the facts led to some conclusion, we need to know that.. No one should be treated like this. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Johnson Publishing is a Delaware limited liability company, with its principal place of business in Delaware. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', The 6-2, 215-pound three-star recruit chose Florida State more than a year ago over other suitors, including Cincinnati, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Louisville, but today has no takers. We can't thank you enough View by We're sorry. Days later, nine community members from the Valdosta area among them McPherson, a school superintendent and lawyers made impassioned pleas on Bell's behalf as they sat around a large oval conference table in Thrasher's office. Find your friends on Facebook. subcat: '', "a petty crime"? playerId: '31d84b62-a3ea-4274-9349-1b7ccedbd1d7' THE JMR JUSTICE SQUAD Women of Power TECH, PODCASTS But Michael Moore, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced a civil rights inquiry in late 2013, and 15 months later the case is still being heard by a grand jury. Moore, the U.S. attorney who had championed the criminal investigation, left office without releasing findings from the FBIs review of school surveillance video, as he had told the Johnsons he would do, according to Coleman. All of Fort Payne, AL, says Gary Hilyer is a poor man who runs the town all because he has multiple businesses and used to have money. The 17-year-old suspect was sentenced to death on May 25th, 1999. VALDOSTA, Ga. - Government agents this week executed search warrants at the home of two brothers accused in a civil suit of killing Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teen found dead inside a rolled-up gym mat in his high school more than two years ago. Were they more than friends? An autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation agreed, citing asphyxiation as the cause of death. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. In response to the wrongful death suit filed by the Johnson family, the Bells have filed a countersuit alleging defamation. Eakin said it didnt take long to figure out that prosecutors believed she had slept with KJ, which she denies, and that the purported ambush was payback. Facebook: @JoshShapiroPA and @PAAttorneyGen But in the end, the truth will prevail and everybody will find me and my brother are innocent and have always been innocent. . Florida State University withdrew a football scholarship offer to Bell in January, one year after FSU had offered it and two years after the death of Kendrick Johnson, Bell's former teammate at Lowndes High School who was found dead in a rolled-up gym mat at their school in January 2013. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Please help me in signing this petition to get the attention of the District Attorney. They have had to face many challenges as a direct result of Mr. Moore's review," the letter says. August 25, 2015 / 2:10 PM The accusation would first surface three days after Kendricks body was discovered. As reported by theGrio, the protest and nationwide civil unrest over the death ofGeorge Floydin 2020 sparked a petition calling for the investigation into the death of Johnsonto be reopened. Bell had become toxic. These two witnesses, Ryane Conroy said were too drunk to take their statements seriously. The Johnsons suit casts Bell as a puppet master of sorts who once challenged Kendrick to come over to the Bells house to fight his son. "Taylor Eakin lied and claimed to have starting dating three months after the murder in hopes of legitimizing the Bell's alibi. The bouncer said that he hit Christopher one time, however, Det. In an August 11 letter made public by the Valdosta Times on Tuesday, Ellen Glasser, national president of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, asked U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to urge U.S. Attorney Michael Moore, of the Middle District of Georgia, to complete his investigation into Johnson's death. The answer to that might be as simple as this: Winston is potentially the No.1 overall pick of the NFL draft, while Bell, according to Rivals.com, is the nation's 47th-best linebacker in his class. "The kids didn't talk about it," he says. Gary Hilyer should have been charged and then he could attempt to defend himself - unlike the chance he gave Randell Meyers. All Moore has said about the case is that it "has proven more complicated.". It goes on to note that After Kendrick Johnsons mother and father [Kenneth Johnson]did a second autopsy on him, they had found out that his death was NOT accidental and he had died from blunt force trauma to the upper neck on the right.. aid: '670899', Taylor Eakin slept with Kendrick and Brian Bell then beat him to death with a gym weight. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Marshals Service agents carried out search warrants at several locations July 21. Wine did not review the evidence, clearly. To please assign a new prosecutor to look into all the evidence, or They were VERY matter-of-fact statements. This bouncer was under the influence (admitted to police), had no formal training to be a bouncer, has a history of domestic violence and has gotten into other altercations at bars he's worked at. 20 years later KBI states they now have male DNA left behind on one of the victims. cat: 'news', In a YouTube video posed Jan. 14, 2013, Eddie Tooley, KJs grandfather, discussed the familys suspicions, saying, They heard this had something to do with a GBI agents son who had an altercation on the bus some time ago.. When pressed, Johnson said, The evidence that I have at this time, I do not have any at this time.. cat: 'news', Valdosta Ga: Where Is Brian Bell Now? #JusticeForEllen, Ptition adresse Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Michigan State Senate, Michigan State House, U.S. Senate, JoAnn Matouk Romain was a loving mother of three and a pillar in the upscale Grosse Pointe, Michigancommunity.