GA - Kendrick Johnson, 17, Suspicious Death, Jan. 10/11, 2013, #1

[RANCH]

Maybe he pushed his shoes off and was trying to push his pants off to make it easier to get out - maybe in his mind it would be easier to slide without his bulky pants.

I agree with this. If Kendrick was panicking, he may have pushed his shoes off. I can imagine being trapped in a mat like that would cause him to try anything to get free.

Another thing to consider is that he forgot to zip up his pants. Is it possible that his pockets where pulled out after he was removed from the mat? Did LE search his pockets?

 

[x_files]

This here is the exact reason I believe the 'shoddy' work was done. To cover their own asses, not necessarily to cover up a murder. JMO

They may have panicked and were scared to lose their jobs. Who wants to be responsible for a teens death on their watch, where they are technically responsible, especially if he was bullied and was ignored.
It's sick.

 

[vlpate]

I agree with this. If Kendrick was panicking, he may have pushed his shoes off. I can imagine being trapped in a mat like that would cause him to try anything to get free.

Another thing to consider is that he forgot to zip up his pants. Is it possible that his pockets where pulled out after he was removed from the mat? Did LE search his pockets?

God, just the thought of what he was going through and imagining his panic.

Not sure where the unzipped pants and pockets out came from - likely something I overlooked or didn't find important at the time....I'll try to find the reference.

 

[BeginnersLuck]

Why were KJ's jeans unzipped and his pockets pulled out, do you think? That's kind of odd for a kid who allegedly is diving for his shoes, isn't it? Struck me as odd.

Salem

The jeans were were unfastened and his pockets were searched (his cellphone was in his pocket) during the examination of the body, by the coroner at the crime scene.

Crime scene lab report:

http://kjtheboywhodidntcomehome.fil...crime-lab-report-in-kendrick-johnson-case.pdf

 

[Tawny]

I also believe he kicked his shoes off in the struggle to get free. Not on purpose, it just happened because he was trying to kick/struggle his way out. Breaks my heart to think of the panic and fear.

 

[PMLsmom]

The blunt force trauma was on the side of his neck, not his head.



The honor guard video is from about a year prior to the event, I believe.

So, they got 5+10+50 (or however many) more mats in a year?

That still does not address the fact that the bleachers are STILL only about 3/4 the height of the HORIZONTALLY stored mats...

 

[Tawny]

So, they got 5+10+50 (or however many) more mats in a year?

That still does not address the fact that the bleachers are STILL only about 3/4 the height of the HORIZONTALLY stored mats...

I don't know how many mats they have or were present. I just know comparing what's in the old video to what may have been there when KJ died is pointless.

ETA: Please don't take that to mean your observations are pointless, just that we don't know how many mats there were (unless someone has a link to that information?).

 

[vlpate]

I agree
Why is their blunt force trauma on his head?

There's not
Why isn't their blood on the shoe he was reaching for? (b7w shoe)
There was blood on the shoe he was reaching for, it's in the crime scene report - it was covered in blood so the tech bagged it and put it into a drying machine. It appears the shoe being shown in the picture is the other shoe that was not in the mat. The picture is deceiving - the heaviest concentration of blood is under the shoe...stands to reason that can't possibly be the shoe that was beneath him. IMO
Why are his shoes throw in the mat on top of his body? How is that even possible?
The shoes being "thrown" in is just speculation, hard to know for sure why they were there.
Why is his pants unzipped and pockets inside out?
Do you have a source for this? Not doubting you, just being lazy
Why wasn't a through investigation done? Why did it take them so log to call a corner?
I was doing some research and there was a case last year, I think the young woman's name was Jasmine Benjamin...she died on campus during Thanksgiving Holiday and her mother found out about it on Facebook. It was a HUGE deal in Valdosta and then all over the world. One of the people talking to the media was Bill Watson. Pure speculation on my part, but the Sheriff did say he didn't call him until later because he wanted to avoid a media frenzy. Totally JMO

I agree foul play possibly bullying gone way too far thought it would be funny to slam him on the back of the head and then shove him in the matt and then decided to run when the bell rang or a teacher entered the room and left him, assuming he'd crawl out or yell for help- or plain homicide.
The Sheriff is evasive and odd, he's body language bothers me.

The Sheriff was talked about horribly during the beginning of this campaign to have the accident declared a homicide. Bullying was exactly what was being done to him. Rumors all over the Internet that his w*** son killed Kendrick because Kendrick was dating the Sheriff's daughter. (he doesn't have a son) He even mentioned the rumors in an interview.

There's no evidence at all that Kendrick was "shoved" into the mat. If he was unconscious it would be impossible and if her were conscious it would be impossible without leaving major defensive wounds from fighting such an ambitious endeavour by another kid. JMO

 

[al66pine]

My comments were based on the post of the local who said that parents of students at LHS were called appr. 2 hours after the body was discovered and told that police ruled it an accident.
Before the coroner even arrived.
I'd say that is some very sloppy work and more than a bit rushed. :twocents:

frayed

IF LE had actually stopped investigating two hours after the body was discovered, I'd agree that would have been sloppy, rushed LE work.

It's not as if LE told school officials at the 2 hr mark, we're done here in the gym, so the students can tromp through here, doesn't matter.
No, LE continued working the scene waaaay past the 2 hr mark and processing evd.
IIRC, cnn reported there were 700 photos taken at the scene, plus hundreds of interviews, etc.

LE's investigation into this death was not rushed work concluded in 2 hours but continued for multiple months.

JM2cts.:seeya:

 

[Salem]

God, just the thought of what he was going through and imagining his panic.

Not sure where the unzipped pants and pockets out came from - likely something I overlooked or didn't find important at the time....I'll try to find the reference.

Its in the autopsy report done by the ME. I quoted the link in my post above.

Salem

 

[al66pine]

Just could have been prevented. Is it confirmed that kids do store their shoes and stuff in the mats? I find it absurd.

Absurd, yes but absurd is the currency of some teenagers (and some others of all ages).
Some absurd action is merely whimsical and harmless;
while some is seriously stooopid and dangerous,
sometimes in clearly predictable and foreseeable ways, sometimes not so predictable or foreseeable.

If you search for posts in this thread by "pearl" a 30 yr. school teacher in Georgia and read them and seq. posts, you will be enlightened about the odd 'hidey-holes' students use as locker equivalents.

 

[RANCH]

Its in the autopsy report done by the ME. I quoted the link in my post above.

Salem

I think that LE searched Kendrick before he was transported. That's why his pants where unzipped/unbuttoned and his pockets where partially pulled out when he got to the coroner. The autopsy states how he was received by the coroner, not how he was found. MOO.

http://valdosta.sgaonline.com/2010vdt/pdfs/kendrick-johnson.pdf

 

[x_files]

Absurd, yes but absurd is the currency of some teenagers (and some others of all ages).
Some absurd action is merely whimsical and harmless;
while some is seriously stooopid and dangerous,
sometimes in clearly predictable and foreseeable ways, sometimes not so predictable or foreseeable.

If you search for posts in this thread by "pearl" a 30 yr. school teacher in Georgia and read them and seq. posts, you will be enlightened about the odd 'hidey-holes' students use as locker equivalents.

yes, anything is possible.
I hope they investigate it thoroughly though.

 

[Salem]

The jeans were were unfastened and his pockets were searched (his cellphone was in his pocket) during the examination of the body, by the coroner at the crime scene.

Crime scene lab report:

http://kjtheboywhodidntcomehome.fil...crime-lab-report-in-kendrick-johnson-case.pdf

Thank you! This explains it. I have not read this document previously.

Salem

 

[Salem]

I have started a Timeline/Map/Media/Document thread for Kendrick right here: GA - Kendrick Johnson found in gym matt, deceased, 11-Jan-2013 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Please post any pertinent links so that we have ready access to information.

Thanks!

Salem

eta: Beginner's Luck - would you link up the Crime Scene report in the Timeline thread? I can't seem to find the URL :doh:

 

[Karmady]

I think that LE searched Kendrick before he was transported. That's why his pants where unzipped/unbuttoned and his pockets where partially pulled out when he got to the coroner. The autopsy states how he was received by the coroner, not how he was found. MOO.

http://valdosta.sgaonline.com/2010vdt/pdfs/kendrick-johnson.pdf

Thanks for that link. I notice it also says that there were 21 mats and describes how the gym teacher had to pull at least some of them away to get to Kendrick for the poster who was asking about the number of mats involved.

 

[Salem]

I don't seem to be able to post the "official" documents in the Timeline thread. Would someone that has a good link either share the link or post it in the thread?

Thanks so much!

Salem

 

[BeginnersLuck]

I have started a Timeline/Map/Media/Document thread for Kendrick right here: GA - Kendrick Johnson found in gym matt, deceased, 11-Jan-2013 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Please post any pertinent links so that we have ready access to information.

Thanks!

Salem

eta: Beginner's Luck - would you link up the Crime Scene report in the Timeline thread? I can't seem to find the URL :doh:

Thank you so much for starting the thread!

 

[vlpate]

Its in the autopsy report done by the ME. I quoted the link in my post above.

Salem

My bad, I didn't see the link, thanks

 

[Tawny]

Thanks for that link. I notice it also says that there were 21 mats and describes how the gym teacher had to pull at least some of them away to get to Kendrick for the poster who was asking about the number of mats involved.

Thank you!