BBM
I think it's great that you haven't given up on Johnnie's case.
I agree. Based on what little information we know, it doesn't seem like the party guests were really cleared. But it also doesn't seem like LE had much of an interest in the case to begin with.
IMO I don't think his disappearance was caused by a random person, simply because his car was never found. If he met with foul play through a serial murderer or the like, I don't feel they would have taken the time to hide his car. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I personally don't feel it fits in this case.
I think it had to be someone/people he knew. Like some have already mentioned, maybe something went wrong at the party, maybe he was set-up from the beginning and there was no party, maybe he stopped on his way home to try and score drugs and met up with the wrong person, maybe he was drunk and ended up driving off of a cliff/into a body of water.... There are so many scenarios.
Since it's been so long, I think the only way to get answers at this point, would be if someone came forward, who knows what happened that night.
On another note, did the magazine contact ever get back in touch with you, about the story they wanted you to co-write? I was also thinking about the final e-mail response you got from LE, and do feel it had a bit of a negative tone to it.
Do you think they weren't happy that Ms. Fenton divulged so much personal information? Maybe her supervisor read what was posted here, and felt it was inappropriate to have that info on a public forum? Or maybe they know the ball was dropped. And they don't want anyone digging deeper into things, to expose some form of negligence on LE's part, during the original investigation?
I'm just guessing here, of course. But I find it a little surprising that LE would automatically put up a wall, letting you know that you won't be getting any more information from their end.
As far as his son...have you tried sending him an e-mail? True enough, he was too young to remember him. But he might have some inside knowledge of his father's disappearance (gathered from others over the years), that could possibly shed light on something. Maybe more friend's names from the party, a girlfriend on the side, a person he was having problems with, etc. You never know.