THE GYM MAT INCIDENT: KENDRICK JOHNSON

Summary

Crime Salad: The Gym Mat Incident – Kendrick Johnson

Podcast: Crime Salad
Hosts: Ashley and Ricky
Episode: THE GYM MAT INCIDENT: KENDRICK JOHNSON
Release Date: July 27, 2025

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Introduction to the Tragic Incident

On January 11, 2013, a serene morning at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, was shattered by an unimaginable tragedy. Ashley sets the scene:

[00:02] Ashley: "According to investigators, the tragedy at Lowndes High School came without warning. That morning... nothing seemed out of the ordinary."

Students were filling out surveys in the gym when horror struck—Kendrick Johnson, 17, was discovered lifeless inside a gym mat. The incident unfolded swiftly:

[00:15] Ashley: "Everything changed when a pair of sock-clad feet was spotted sticking out from the center hole in one of the mats."

Kendrick Johnson: A Bright Young Life

Kendrick was more than a victim; he was a promising athlete with dreams of an NFL career. Ricky highlights his character:

[04:23] Ricky: "Kendrick was already an impressive athlete... he inspired his peers to stay on the right path and follow their dreams."

Ashley echoes this sentiment, painting a picture of a dedicated and beloved teenager:

[04:51] Ashley: "He was a self-starter who strove for perfection and could light up a room."

Discovery and Initial Investigation

The tragic discovery was chaotic and mishandled. Despite emergency services arriving promptly, Kendrick was pronounced dead on arrival. Ashley critiques the immediate response:

[05:15] Ricky: "Too damn young."

[05:38] Ricky: "Honestly, this part pisses me off because the first thing you would do is clear out the school and handle the situation with sensitivity."

The initial investigation concluded Kendrick's death as an accident caused by positional asphyxia, but this determination was met with immediate skepticism from his family.

Family's Unwavering Skepticism

Kendrick's parents, Jacqueline and Kenneth Johnson, were unconvinced by the accidental death ruling. They encountered dismissive attitudes from law enforcement:

[01:00] Jacqueline: "They told me that Kendrick was probably out with a girl and that I had nothing to worry about."

This dismissive treatment fueled their belief that something sinister occurred.

Controversial Investigations and Findings

Over the years, multiple investigations have sought to uncover the truth behind Kendrick's death, each leaving lingering questions:

1. Initial Autopsy: Conducted by Mary Ann Gaffney Craft, it concluded no foul play, attributing Kendrick's death to positional asphyxia.

   [09:23] Ashley: "Kendrick's death was blamed on the position his body got stuck in after he reached down into the mat."

2. Second Autopsy: Ordered by the Johnson family, it revealed blunt force trauma inconsistent with an accidental death.

   [14:00] Ricky: "The second examination... concluded that Kendrick suffered a fatal blow near his carotid artery that appeared to be non-accidental."

Despite this, the U.S. Department of Justice found insufficient evidence to pursue charges.

3. Third Investigation: Led by Sheriff Ashley Polk in 2021, it mirrored previous findings, ruling Kendrick's death an accident once again.

   [20:41] Ashley: "Sheriff Polk... concluded that Kendrick's death was accidental, but he stated he would reopen the case if new evidence emerged."

Allegations and Legal Battles

The Johnsons suspect two of Kendrick's peers, Brandon and Brian Bell, of being involved, especially given their father's position as an FBI agent at the time. This allegation has led to intense legal battles:

[23:43] Ashley: "Kenneth and Jacqueline Johnson filed a $100 million civil suit... accusing Rick Bell of encouraging his sons to assault Kendrick."

The suit was eventually dismissed due to technicalities, though the Johnsons appealed, seeking further legal avenues.

Ongoing Fight for Justice and Accountability

Despite multiple investigations ruling Kendrick's death as accidental, the Johnson family remains steadfast in their pursuit of justice. Jacqueline Johnson continues to advocate through platforms like TikTok, keeping Kendrick's memory alive and urging accountability.

[28:25] Ashley: "It really shows the love that they have for their son. Like, it's so strong."

The family has also filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, seeking to expose what they believe is a cover-up.

[30:27] Ashley: "Whose blood was it? And there was also blood found on the wall in the gym. Apparently, it was tested and it wasn't Kendrick, so that was also out."

Unanswered Questions and Community Impact

Kendrick's untimely death has left the community grappling with numerous unanswered questions:

• Why was there blood at the scene not matching Kendrick?
• What caused the discrepancies in autopsy reports?
• Were there efforts to conceal evidence from the beginning?

These unresolved issues continue to fuel speculation and distrust towards the investigative processes.

Conclusion: A Call for Awareness and Reflection

Ashley and Ricky conclude by urging listeners to consider the complexities of Kendrick Johnson’s case and to reflect on the importance of thorough and unbiased investigations.

[32:28] Ashley: "Or do you stand by Kendrick's family in believing that Kendrick's cause of death comes from a much more sinister series of events?"

They encourage audience engagement to foster awareness and keep the conversation about Kendrick's case ongoing.

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Notable Quotes:

• Ashley [00:02]: "Everything changed when a pair of sock-clad feet was spotted sticking out from the center hole in one of the mats."
• Ricky [04:23]: "Kendrick was already an impressive athlete... he inspired his peers to stay on the right path and follow their dreams."
• Ricky [05:38]: "Honestly, this part pisses me off because like the first thing that you would do is clear out the school, close the school and handle the situation with some sensitivity."
• Ashley [28:25]: "It really shows the love that they have for their son. Like, it's so strong."

Final Thoughts:

The case of Kendrick Johnson remains a poignant and unresolved tragedy, highlighting the challenges families face when seeking justice. "Crime Salad" meticulously unpacks the layers of the investigation, shedding light on potential oversights and the enduring quest for truth by Kendrick’s loved ones.

Listeners are invited to reflect on the case and contribute to the ongoing dialogue, ensuring that Kendrick Johnson's story is neither forgotten nor ignored.

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Note: Advertisements and non-content sections from the podcast have been omitted to focus solely on the substantive discussion of Kendrick Johnson's case.

Transcript

[Ashley]

According to investigators, the tragedy at Lowndes High School came without warning. That morning on January 11th of 2013, students walked into the gym for class. They sat down to fill out a survey and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Some students sat on the bleachers while others moved towards the cluster of mats that were rolled up, strapped and stored vertically in the corner of the gym. Each mat stood about 6ft tall, 3ft wide. No one could have imagined the horror hidden among them. Everything changed when a pair of sock clad feet was spotted sticking out from the center hole in one of the mats. The casual chatter stopped, students shouted for help and called 911 and the gym teacher rushed over, grabbed the victim's ankle and later recalled that there was no response and he knew that he was lifeless at that point. While police and paramedics raced to the scene, Jacqueline Johnson, Kendrick's mother, was already at the school with her young daughter. Completely unaware of the nightmare unfolding inside the gym. She was simply trying to find her son, Kendrick. 17 year old Kendrick hadn't come home the night before, something that was completely out of character for the reliable, responsible teenager. Kendrick had a close and open relationship with his parents. Most days he would be home by the time his mom returned from work to talk about his day. If he stayed late to run laps, work out or shoot hoops, he'd always ask for permission first. His father, Kenneth, was a truck driver and away that Thursday night. So Jacqueline wondered if maybe Kendrick had asked his dad instead and the message just didn't reach her. But that wasn't the case. There were no games, no practice, and no word from Kendrick all night, which was deeply unusual. Jacqueline and Kenneth didn't waste any time searching for their teenage son. They reported him missing around 12:30am when he didn't come home from school that evening. But instead of actively looking for Kendrick, Jacqueline had recalled that law enforcement officers who came to the house didn't seem to take his disappearance seriously at all. In fact, she says that they told her that Kendrick was probably out with a girl and that she had nothing to worry about. The direct quote she remembers is he's probably laid up with some fast tailed girl.

[Ricky]

What does that even mean?

[Ashley]

Imagine hearing that while you're terrified for your child's safety. It's dismissive and it sends the message that his disappearance wasn't worth urgent attention. Hey, crime style listeners. So today Ricky and I will be taking a closer look at the tragic case of 17 year old Kendrick Johnson's fate and the controversy that continues to surround the case. With over a decade having passed since the loss of a young man with such a bright future ahead of him, it seems reasonable to assume that there should be some kind of conclusion to the investigation and legal battle that followed. Some people do claim that this case has been wrapped up, that the answer to what happened to Kendrick is a tragic but rather simple explanation. Kenneth and Jacqueline Johnson, on the other hand, remain unconvinced. They believe that something sinister happened in the Lowndes High School gym in Valdosta, Georgia on January 10, 2013 that completely destroyed any hope that they had for the decades of adulthood that were supposed to lay ahead of their son. And they refused to be silenced as they continued to demand accountability for what happened to Kendrick. Before we can get into the various layers of this complicated case, we must warn you that today's episode includes discussions of violence, a possible physical assault and death, all regarding a minor. If these topics are sensitive to you, you may want to skip this episode and tune in next week instead. For now, we'll turn our attention to Kendrick's story and the ongoing fight for answers and accountability. I'm Ashley. And I'm Ricky and this is Crime Salad. In various interviews, people who knew Kendrick Johnson have described him as being a great friend, son and sibling and still just a teenager.

[Ricky]

Kendrick was already an impressive athlete as a sophomore. He played football, basketball and track and dreamed of going to college after graduating high school, hoping to one day be in the NFL. Jacqueline Johnson, Kendrick's mother, has shared that though he was a soft spoken person, he he was also the type of young man who could light up a room. He was a self starter who strove for perfection and he inspired his peers to stay on the right path and follow their dreams.

[Ashley]

But unfortunately, that would all change when Kendrick Johnson was found rolled up in a gym mat that morning. Sadly, despite emergency services arriving at Lowndes High School shortly after the tragic discovery, it was too late to save the teenager. Kendrick Johnson was declared deceased on January 11th of 2013 when he was just 17 years old.

[Ricky]

Too damn young.

[Ashley]

Yeah. Now why they didn't just shut down the school and send everyone home, I'll never understand. Instead of handling it privately and with care, Jacqueline remembers hearing the news spread through the school like wildfire. With nearly 3,000 students there that day, word traveled fast and she wasn't told in a private or compassionate way by anyone in charge.

[Ricky]

Honestly, this part pisses me off because like the first thing that you would do is clear out the school, close the school and handle the situation with Some sensitivity.

[Ashley]

Yeah. And I mean, the gym was taped off, but classes, they still went on like nothing happened. That alone seems disrespectful. Then when you find out your son is deceased in the gym through whispers in the school hallway, not from officials, like, that's a whole other problem. And while all this was happening, the scene where his body was found wasn't even blocked off right away. Evidence, if there was any, could have been compromised from the start. And this was only the beginning. From that first moment, people wanted answers. How does a healthy 17 year old young man end up dead upside down in a rolled up gym mat? It's the kind of discovery that makes your brain immediately go to the darkest places. Did someone attack him? Did someone kill him and shove him inside that mat?

[Ricky]

I mean, honestly, this part is hard for me to wrap my head around because my first instinct is that a couple kids were messing around or whatever, and he got stuck in the mat. But the fact that there's no witnesses, there's no nothing like it screams foul play.

[Ashley]

But what investigators would later say happened to him. Their conclusions left a lot of people, us included, asking if they got it wrong. At first, they called it a possible homicide, but then they said there was no sign of foul play. This appeared to be an accident.

[Ricky]

It's crazy.

[Ashley]

And this became the concrete reason for his death. Four months after Kendrick's body was discovered, the investigation wrapped up. With no arrests, no charges, nothing. Investigators believed Kendrick somehow ended up in that position on his own and tragically lost his life because of it.

[Ricky]

But that's the part I can't wrap my head around. We're talking about a mat with maybe a 14 inch opening compared to Kendrick's 19 inch shoulder width. It just doesn't really make sense.

[Ashley]

Kenneth and Jacqueline found it impossible to believe that their son's death could be the result of an accident. But the investigators did have an explanation, though many people have argued against the validity of it. During the investigation into Kendrick's death, law enforcement officers learned that it was relatively common for students at the this school to put their shoes in the hole of the mat. But normally they would just tilt them and get their shoes from the bottom. This led investigators to believe that on January 10, 2013, Kendrick went into the gym, reached down into the mat that his body was found in, to retrieve a shoe that was down in the mat. Allegedly, there was only one shoe. And while doing so, investigators have claimed that Kendrick appears to have gotten stuck in the center of the mat with his head facing down, unable to Pull himself. Investigators also believe that while he was stuck, Kendrick suffocated, explaining why his body was found upside down in the mat the next day.

[Ricky]

So what's strange is the picture that was taken as evidence, the shoe, it's on top of a pool of blood. This blood was tested, and it's not a match to Kendrick. So it's believed that maybe it was from another incident, but it was dried, and it seemed like just a coincidence, which, I mean, it's weird to have dried blood in the gym in general, like what's going on at the school.

[Ashley]

Yeah, strange coincidence. Now, let me point out and remember this. So this accidental theory, it does fit the results of the first autopsy that was done on Kendrick's body, which reported that there were no bruises found on Kendrick or any marks that would indicate foul play. Neither. The only wounds that the medical examiner, Mary Ann Gaffney Craft, who performed the first autopsy, reported was a scrape on the back of Kendrick's right wrist and three small injuries on his right pinky. She determined that Kendrick's death was accidental, resulting from positional asphyxia. This means that Kendrick's death was blamed on the position his body got stuck in after he reached down into the mat and making it impossible for him to breathe.

[Ricky]

And although there were working security cameras throughout the school and including the gym, it was pointed out that they were motion censored. And apparently there was no security footage of the actual event. Specifically, the mats were located in the corner. They were all upright, and they were just a little bit out of the camera's view. But given the evidence that the investigators did have, law enforcement officials have claimed that this was the best that they could come up with to fit the information that was gathered during the investigation.

[Ashley]

But Kendrick's family, they were not buying this theory. Kendrick's mother has been especially outspoken since her son's death, insisting that she doesn't believe it's possible for Kendrick's death to have been an accident. Recalling that the family went into fight mode once they realized law enforcement wasn't going to give them the answers that the family was looking for. Kendrick's parents have stood by their belief that the determination that Kendrick's death was an accident and the investigation that led to such a ruling was all part of a cover up, one that the family wasn't willing to accept without a fight. In the years following the tragedy, it's been revealed that there were several instances that suggest the investigation into Kendrick's death wasn't exactly conducted in the way it should have Been. For example, it took six hours after Kendrick's body was found before the county coroner was called to the scene. Six hours.

[Ricky]

And according to Georgia law, that county coroner should have been notified immediately. The autopsy that followed was another point of contention between law enforcement and the Johnson family. After seeing Kendrick's body for herself, Jacqueline Johnson has stated that she doesn't understand how officials could even claim that Kendrick's body did. Didn't show signs of foul play. Arguing against the coroner's initial findings, insisting that the reality of the condition Kendrick was found in was much more gruesome than the initial report suggested.

[Ashley]

And the photos of the crime scene and Kendrick's body following his death have since been released, allowing people to see for themselves the state Kendrick was found in. Kendrick's mother was the one who wanted these photos out there in the public. For that reason. I personally don't recommend looking up these photos unless you're the type of person who can view extremely disturbing images without being affected by them. However, we came across these photos while researching this case, and they are horrific enough to bring you to tears.

[Ricky]

They're really, really rough.

[Ashley]

Yeah, they're ones that you can't unsee. Just imagining a mother seeing their son in this horrible condition without answers, it just makes me sick. It just, like, gives me chills. And it really makes you feel just so horrible for the parents. And we'll try our best to avoid getting too graphic when describing these images. But in the photos, it's easy to see that Kendrick's face is clearly swollen as if he were beaten. His arms are covered in dried blood. His ear, it looks like there's a piece missing from it. And these pictures also reveal an interesting detail about the shoes that are leaning up against the back of his calves inside the mat.

[Ricky]

And I don't want to jump to conclusions, but honestly, it looks like they could have been placed there.

[Ashley]

Yeah, I mean, it kind of looks like that now. During their search for answers that would better explain their son's death, the family targeted that first autopsy. About two years after those initial results that led detectives to conclude that Kendrick's death was the result of a tragic accident. Having gotten stuck in the mat and dying of positional asphyxia, the Johnson family ordered a second autopsy on Kendrick's body. They paid for an independent pathologist to take another look. And the findings turned out to be shockingly different from the report that medical examiner Mary Ann Gaffney Craft had provided to law enforcement.

[Ricky]

This second examination of Kendrick's body revealed blunt force trauma to his neck with hemorrhaging beneath his jaw and neck. The pathologist concluded that Kendrick suffered a fatal blow near his carotid artery that appeared to be non accidental. And this only strengthened the Johnson family's belief that his death was no accident.

[Ashley]

Now, here's the argument that was made to counter this finding. The discoloration on Kendrick's skin could have been caused by lividity rather than bruising from being attacked. Still, after this second autopsy, the United States Department of Justice decided to open its own investigation into Kendrick's death. This included bringing in another independent medical examiner to review all of the physical evidence in both autopsies. But any hope the Johnson family felt from this federal review was short lived. In 2016, the US Department of Justice ruled that there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone in connection with Kendrick's death. Once again, no one was held legally responsible. As you can imagine, this sparked protests and outrage from the community, with Kendrick's supporters refusing to let the case be dismissed just as an accident. Now, before we dive into what happened next, let's take a quick break. Okay? Confession time. Do you remember last summer when we were planning that spontaneous beach weekend?

[Ricky]

Oh, yeah, you mean the one where you almost threw your phone into the ocean because of that wireless bill?

[Ashley]

Yeah, that one. I swear, nothing kills summer vibes faster than realizing you're paying more for call service and than for gas, snacks and sunscreen combined.

[Ricky]

Yeah, I mean, that's why we switched to Mint Mobile. And honestly, I can't believe that we didn't do it sooner. We get the same super fast coverage and data, but for way less money.

[Ashley]

And right now, Mint is basically giving you permission to ditch your overpriced plan and go live your best summer life. For a limited time, you can grab three months of unlimited premium wireless for just 15 bucks a month.

[Ricky]

$15? I mean, that's less than you spend getting coffee.

[Ashley]

Facts. And the best part. Mint uses the nation's largest 5G network. So you don't even have to worry about losing Signal when you're FaceTiming your friends by the grill.

[Ricky]

So if you've been putting up with those insane wireless bills, this is your sign. Skip breaking a sweat and breaking the bank.

[Ashley]

Go to mintmobile.com Crimesalad to get your three month unlimited plan for just 15 bucks a month. That's mintmobile.com Crimesalad upfront payment of $45 is required.

[Ricky]

Speeds might be slow above 35 GB and taxes and fees are extra.

[Ashley]

That's less than a single pole. Floaty shaped like a flamingo.

[Ricky]

I mean, priorities people.

[Ashley]

If you're into the kinds of stories that we cover here, the strange and the mysterious and the downright unbelievable, then we've got a podcast recommendation that you are going to love. It's called Astonishing Legends and these guys dig deep. The hosts, Scott Philbrook and Forrest Burgess, are like your smart, slightly spooky best friends who happen to do a ton of research. They dive into everything from paranormal encounters and mysterious disappearances to bizarre historical events and strange people that you probably never even heard of, but totally should have.

[Ricky]

Seriously, I love their vibe and they strike that perfect balance of not too goofy, not too heavy, just smart, curious conversation that keeps you hooked.

[Ashley]

Exactly. And they've recently launched a new show on their main feed called the Astonishing Dead Letter Office where they share listener submitted stories that are just as eerie and fascinating. It's like bonus creepiness, but in the best way. So if you're ready for your next obsession, check out Astonishing Legends wherever you get your podcast or visit astonishinglegends.com to explore their episode notes, research links, photos, book racks. It's a whole rabbit hole waiting to be explored.

[Ricky]

So again, that's Astonishing Legends. Go give them a listen and subscribe. You won't be disappointed.

[Ashley]

After years of insisting there had to be more to their son's death than a tragic accident, the Johnson family was offered another glimmer of hope. With mounting pressure from the community and civil rights organizations, the U.S. department of justice announced that they would open a federal investigation into Kendrick's death, specifically looking into potential civil rights violations. This investigation ran from late 2013 to mid-2016, and it concluded with a finding that there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone or some group of people willfully violated Kendrick Johnson's civil rights rights or committed any other prosecutable federal crime. No charges were filed and the outcome remained the same. There was also another look into this case in March of 2021. This time the investigation was going to be undertaken by Ashley Polk, the Lowndes County Sheriff. And before this, Polk wasn't part of the investigation into Kendrick's death. The controversy over the ruling of Kendrick's death as an accident was still ongoing, with Jacqueline and Kenneth Johnson in particular, working hard to make sure that their voices were heard and their son wouldn't be forgotten. Hoping to bring closure to the family and answer the lingering questions, Ashley Polk asked for all of the material of the case and conducted his own investigation into Kendrick's death. This included 17 boxes of DOJ and federal investigative files, reviewing the local and federal evidence side by side. And it took about 13 months to review.

[Ricky]

Unfortunately, this third investigation wouldn't be enough to bring even a little piece to the Johnson family, as it was concluded in the same way that the first two investigations had. In 2022, nine years after Kendrick's body was found, his death was once again ruled an accident. Sheriff Ashley Polk closed the case and ended his investigation, but stated in an interview with W A L b news in 2023 that he would be willing to reopen the case if new, viable, truthful evidence is uncovered. The sheriff admitted, just because we come up with a conclusion doesn't mean we're always right. You never know. You don't ever quit. No case is ever closed, in my opinion.

[Ashley]

At the time, however, Sheriff Paul claimed that he had done all he could do with the evidence he had, acknowledging that he knew there would still be people who believed that Kendrick's death was the result of foul. But he encouraged everyone to study all the evidence collected during the multiple investigations into this case before forming their own opinion. And in this same interview, Jacqueline Johnson declared her determination to keep on fighting, stating, we're going to fight until somebody is held accountable because there is no such thing as justice. Justice means my child being here with me, and that's not going to happen. So we'll never have justice. But what we have is accountability of what happened to Kendrick. I will fight them until the day I die about my child. Two years after that interview, the fight for accountability continues. Jacqueline has stayed true to her statement, seemingly determined as ever to keep fighting. But as Kenneth and Jacqueline continue to draw attention to Kendrick's case, the obvious question arises. If Kendrick's death wasn't an accident, what happened to him? And although this has never been confirmed, Kendrick's mother has shared her suspicions on what she believes led to her son's death. Jacqueline has shared that she thinks Kendrick was somehow tricked into going into the gym on January 10, 2013, not thinking anything of it. And once he was lured there, Kendrick's killers ambushed him, beat him until he was unconscious, then rolled him up into the mat that he was found in. The Johnson family, along with their supporters, believed that the truth of Kendrick's death was a cover up. And the reason why law enforcement would do that? Well, the answer to that question could have something to do with the young men who Jacqueline believes might have had something to do with Kendrick's death. Brandon Bell and his brother, Brian Bell. The accusations directed at the Bell brothers have not only caught attention because of how serious they are, but also because of who their father is. Which leads to an explanation as to why law enforcement officials might have reason to cover up the murder of Kendrick Johnson if he was in fact murdered, rather than his death being truly an accident. This is because Brandon and Brian's father, Rick Bell, was an FBI agent at the time of Kendrick's death.

[Ricky]

So Brandon and Brian became suspicious to the family because of a fight that broke out between Brian and Kendrick. This fight happened during a team bus ride on the way to a football game, which resulted in the boys being separated. And according to Jacqueline, this wasn't the only time that Kendrick was targeted by Brian, explaining that this was a problem that she had tried to address even before Kendrick's death. When interviewed by WSB TV Channel 2 Action News in 2015, the Bell brothers were asked if they had anything to do with Kendrick's death. Brandon Bell answered, no, sir, nor me or my family had anything to do with his death.

[Ashley]

And Brian Bell claimed that not only did he not have anything to do with Kendrick's death, but he also insisted that Kendrick was one of his good friends. But what about the altercation the two teenagers had on that bus ride? According to Sheriff Polk, testimony by other students stated that this fight did not appear to cause any animosity between the two. In fact, they later did a class project together. Those defending the boys seem to dismiss this fight as just a typical argument among teenagers that got a little bit too rough, a little out of hand, but was soon smoothed over and forgotten all about. Brian has explained that the fight was so insignificant that he doesn't even remember exactly what it was about. Of course, Jacqueline Johnson disagrees with this, insisting that Kendrick wasn't friends with the Bell brothers, and both brothers have stated that they didn't even see Kendrick on the day of his death, with Brian explaining that he was in class all day, nowhere close to the gym where Kendrick's body was found. And even though none of the school's several security cameras caught Kendrick's death or the actions that led to his body being discovered in the gym mat, there was enough footage for investigators to conclude that the brothers weren't in that area of the school when Kendrick was last seen going into the school's gym. However, these cameras also showed Kendrick standing only a few feet away from Brian in the school hallway earlier that day. In the 2015 interview, the Bell brothers talked about being in two separate rentals they were staying in, which had been recently raided by law enforcement as the investigation into what happened to Kendrick? Johnson continued. But despite the raids and questioning, neither Brian nor Brandon Bell were ever charged in connection with Kendrick's death. But it didn't stop Kendrick's family from trying to hold the Bell brothers accountable. Kenneth and Jacqueline Johnson filed a $100 million civil suit against them, accusing Rick Bell, the boys father, of encouraging Brian Bell, Brandon Bell and another student, Ryan hall, to assault Kendrick, leading to Kendrick's death. The Johnsons eventually voluntarily dismissed this suit, but were then countersued by Rick Bryan and Brandon Bell for $1 million, accused of making disparaging statements about the father and his two sons based on accusations that lacked substantial justification. As of the time that we're recording this episode, 12 years have passed since Kendrick Johnson's death, and law enforcement stance on the matter hasn't budged. No one has been charged for the involvement in Kendrick's death. Legally, his death remains labeled as an accident. However, Kendrick's family has been just as persistent in their insistence that Kendrick's death was no accident, and they refused to give up their fight for accountability. In 2023, one year after Polk concluded that Kendrick's death was accidental with no foul play, Jacqueline and Kenneth Johnson took to the courts again to file a $1 billion lawsuit against the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office for the false information they believe has been used to hide the truth about their son's death. Kendrick's parents remain convinced that someone killed their son and that school officials and law enforcement covered this up. U.S. district Court Judge Lee Martin may ultimately dismissed the lawsuit, concluding that the targets of the lawsuit were not legal entities capable of being sued. However, the Johnsons appealed the ruling, and In February of 2025, a panel of three federal judges ruled that while the family could not legally sue specific agencies, entities like sheriffs or school districts could be sued. Since this technical issue could be fixed by correctly identifying defendants that their lawsuit could apply to, the panel concluded that the case should be sent Back to the U.S. northern District of Georgia for reconsideration as the Johnson family's legal battles continue. Jacqueline Johnson now runs a TikTok account that she uses to bring awareness to Kendrick's case, ensuring that her son will never be forgotten. And she also uses her platform to advocate for and bring attention to victims of other unsolved cases.

[Ricky]

I really hope this family gets some type of closure. They've been fighting for so long and it just seems like the case is going nowhere. I mean, it's been 12 years. I just can't even imagine what they're going through.

[Ashley]

Yeah. It really shows the love that they have for their son. Like, it's so strong.

[Ricky]

Oh, yeah. I don't know. There's this one thing that I keep thinking about, and that's just the fact that there was blood. Like, that's really weird to me. Even knowing the details of how Kendrick was found, my first reaction to looking at the photos was, I mean, it looks like he could have at least maybe been beaten.

[Ashley]

And I dug into this because the blood situation is what really gets me, too. And I wanted to know if this could still make sense, if his death was truly an accident. And according to forensic pathologists, the bleeding that's in these photos, it isn't necessarily a sign of injury. It can actually happen when someone is trapped upside down for hours. Gravity forces blood to pull in the head and upper body, which can cause swelling, dark discoloration, and can lead to blood or fluid leaking from the nose or the mouth.

[Ricky]

And with knowing that detail, like, I can definitely see that as a possibility. It just makes you kind of wonder, though.

[Ashley]

Yeah. But that aside, some of the photos the family shared on the justice for Kendrick Johnson Facebook page, it looks like there's a chunk of his ear missing. Yeah. There's strange gashes in his skin, like cuts, you know?

[Ricky]

Yeah. On his fingers and stuff, too.

[Ashley]

What is the explanation for that?

[Ricky]

I would love to know.

[Ashley]

It's like they just disregarded so many things. And not only those things, they also disregarded a couple things that were found around the crime scene. And there was also Kendrick's Hollister hoodie that was found near him. It wasn't used in evidence or anything, but there appeared to be blood around the wrist cuffs. And there's also this third pair of shoes. They weren't Kendrick's, but there's this reddish brown spatter on them. And they tested that substance on the shoes, and they found out it wasn't Kendrick's blood. So it wasn't brought into investigation, which.

[Ricky]

That is crazy to me.

[Ashley]

Whose blood was it? And there was also blood found on the wall in the gym. Apparently, it was tested and it wasn't Kendrick, so that was also out.

[Ricky]

Yeah. I mean, again, though, why is there blood all over the place and it's just being disregarded? I mean, how did two autopsies conclude that Kendrick's death was accidental, but then Dr. Anderson's autopsy said that there was blunt force trauma to the neck and soft tissues.

[Ashley]

Well, from what I found, Anderson's report, it stood out because it was the only one that suggested trauma. However, it wasn't backed up by the other examinations, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations autopsy and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner's review. They didn't find the same injury. There were also questions raised about Anderson's professional history. He was previously let go from a medical examiner's office in Florida after complaints about his work, which made investigators cautious about relying solely on his findings. And so, in the end, the official investigations concluded that Anderson's report couldn't be fully verified or corroborated with the rest of the evidence.

[Ricky]

Jesus.

[Ashley]

Which is why it wasn't given the same weight as the other autopsies. But one thing is so very strong. The fight for justice for Kendrick Johnson. The family and friends, the community and people across the map. They find it very hard to believe that a 17 year old would crawl down inside a gym mat and get stuck there. There's so many theories and so many questions that seem to be left not fully understood.

[Ricky]

I agree. Okay, so now that we've gathered both sides of the story and with all of this information, we'd love to know your thoughts on the investigation into Kendrick's death. So do you believe law enforcement saying that this was an accident was the right call to make?

[Ashley]

Or do you stand by Kendrick's family in believing that Kendrick's cause of death comes from a much sinister series of events? We hope you'll take a moment to leave us a comment with your perspective and share this episode on social media to spread awareness of this case. As always, we're so grateful for our crime Salad, Patreon and Apple subscribers. Your support means the world to us and it allows us to keep this podcast going. Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in. We appreciate this opportunity to share what we learn about these cases with all of you and hopefully kickstart important conversations. Stay safe, take care of yourselves, and we'll catch you next week for another deep dive into the stories that need to be told.